HEATER-COOLER WITH BITHERMAL THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE

• US 20100101238A1
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaGrandeur, John, Bell, Lon E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00478 Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect for air-conditioning in general F24F5/0042; for refrigeration F25B21/02; electric devices exhibiting the Peltier effect H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include systems for heating and cooling the interior climate of a vehicle. In some embodiments, the system comprises a conduit having a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, a fluid diversion channel configured to divert fluid flow between the first and second channels, and a thermoelectric device operatively connected to the fluid conduit. In certain embodiments, the thermoelectric device comprises a plurality of thermal zones. In some embodiments, the plurality of thermal zones comprises a first thermal zone connected to a first electric circuit switchable between a first polarity and a second polarity and a second thermal zone connected to a second electric circuit switchable between the first polarity and the second polarity independent of the polarity of the first electric circuit.

Claims

1. A system for controlling temperature in a region, the system comprising:

at least one main fluid channel; and

at least one thermoelectric device operatively connected to the at least one main fluid channels, the at least one thermoelectric device comprising at least one thermoelectric element configured to heat at least a portion of a fluid flowing in at least one of the main fluid channels upon application of electrical energy in a first polarity and to cool at least a portion of the fluid upon application of electrical energy in a second polarity;

wherein at least one thermoelectric device is subdivided into a plurality of thermal zones, the plurality of thermal zones comprising;

a first thermal zone operatively connected to a first electric circuit switchable between the first polarity and the second polarity; and

a second thermal zone operatively connected to a second electric circuit switchable between the first polarity and the second polarity independent of the polarity of the first electric circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least a first heat exchanger disposed in the main fluid channel and thermally connected to a first main surface in the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device; and

at least a second heat exchanger disposed in the main fluid channel and thermally connected to a second main surface in the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a working fluid channel;

at least a third heat exchanger disposed in the working fluid channel and thermally connected to a first waste surface in the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device; and

at least a fourth heat exchanger disposed in the working fluid channel and thermally connected to a second waste surface in the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device;

wherein the thermoelectric device is configured to transfer thermal energy between the first main surface and the first waste surface in the first thermal zone and to transfer thermal energy between the second main surface and the second waste surface in the second thermal zone.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to operate the system in one of a plurality of available modes by controlling the polarity of at least one first electric circuit and the polarity of at least one second electric circuit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of available modes comprises a demisting mode, a heating mode, and a cooling mode.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to operate the first electric circuit in the second polarity and the second electric circuit in the first polarity when the system is operating in the demisting mode.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first working fluid circuit thermally connected to a first waste surface in the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device; and

a second working fluid circuit independent from the first working fluid circuit, the second working fluid circuit thermally connected to a second waste surface in the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the first working fluid circuit and the second working fluid circuit is selectively connected between either the thermoelectric device and a heat sink or the thermoelectric device and a heat source.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first working fluid circuit is connected to a heat source when the first electric circuit is switched to the first polarity and is connected to a heat sink when the first electric circuit is switched to the second polarity;

and wherein the second working fluid circuit is connected to the heat source when the second electric circuit is switched to the first polarity and is connected to a heat sink when the second electric circuit is switched to the second polarity.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to operate the system in a demisting mode by switching the first electric circuit to the second polarity and switching the second electric circuit to the first polarity.

11. A method of delivering temperature controlled fluid to a region using an HVAC system, the method comprising:

operating the system in one of a plurality of available modes to provide a fluid flow to the region, the plurality of available modes comprising a demisting mode, a heating mode, and a cooling mode;

delivering fluid to the region during the demisting mode of operation by;

directing a fluid flow into a main fluid channel of a thermoelectric device;

removing thermal energy from at least a portion of the fluid flow in a first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device; and

subsequently adding thermal energy to at least the portion of the fluid flow in a second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device;

delivering fluid to the region during the heating mode of operation by;

directing a fluid flow into the main fluid channel of the thermoelectric device; and

adding thermal energy to at least a portion of the fluid flow in at least one of the first thermal zone the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device;

and

delivering fluid to the region during the cooling mode of operation by;

directing a fluid flow into the main fluid channel of the thermoelectric device; and

removing thermal energy from at least a portion of the fluid flow in at least one of the first thermal zone and the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein delivering the fluid during the demisting mode further comprises:

removing thermal energy from the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device by circulating a first working fluid between the first thermal zone and a heat sink; and

adding thermal energy to the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device by circulating a second working fluid between the second thermal zone and a heat source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first working fluid and the second working fluid comprises a liquid heat transfer fluid.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first working fluid comprises an aqueous solution and the second working fluid comprises the same aqueous solution.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein delivering the fluid during the heating mode further comprises:

providing electrical energy having a first polarity to the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device; and

providing electrical energy having the same polarity to the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device;

wherein the electrical energy provided to the thermoelectric device causes thermal energy to be transferred from at least one working fluid to the at least a portion of the fluid flow via the thermoelectric device.

16. A method of manufacturing a system for conditioning fluid in a region, the method comprising:

providing at least one fluid flow channel;

operatively connecting at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one fluid flow channel;

providing at least one working fluid channel in thermal communication with at least one waste surface of the at least one thermoelectric device;

connecting a first electric circuit to a first thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device, the first electric circuit configured to selectively supply electrical power to the first thermal zone in a first polarity or in a second polarity; and

connecting a second electric circuit to a second thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device, the second electric circuit configured to selectively supply electrical power to the second thermal zone in the first polarity or in the second polarity.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a controller configured to control the system at least in part by selecting the polarity of the first electric circuit and the polarity of the second electric circuit.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the at least one working fluid channel to selectively move thermal energy between the at least one thermoelectric device and a heat source or a heat sink.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein operatively connecting the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one fluid flow channel comprises:

disposing at least one first heat exchanger in the at least one fluid flow channel;

disposing at least one second heat exchanger in the at least one fluid flow channel;

connecting the first thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one first heat exchanger; and

connecting the second thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one second heat exchanger.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein connecting the first thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one first heat exchanger comprises connecting a main surface in the first thermal zone to the at least one first heat exchanger, the main surface being opposite a waste surface in the first thermal zone.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the region comprises a passenger compartment of a vehicle.