Thermoelectric device efficiency enhancement using dynamic feedback

• US 7,870,745 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goenka, Lakhi Nandlal
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Melvin
• Application Number:
  US11/377,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20070214799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 62/32, 62/37, 62/36, 622/592
• US Class Current: 62/3.2
• 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: B60H 1/00878 the components being temperature regulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 25/00 Machines, plants or systems, using a combination of modes of operation covered by two or more of the groups F25B1/00 - F25B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/13 Pump speed control

Abstract

A cooling system is disclosed including a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a means for regulating a flow of a fluid, and a thermoelectric device for cooling a fluid, wherein a difference in temperature between a hot side and a cold side of the thermoelectric device is minimized and an efficiency of the thermoelectric device is maximized.

Claims

1. A cooling system comprising:

a first heat exchanger adapted to cool a first fluid;

a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger, wherein said second heat exchanger is operatively connected to transfer energy between the first fluid and a second fluid and to condition the second fluid to reach a desired temperature;

a thermoelectric device disposed between and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, said thermoelectric device adapted to heat the first fluid and cool the second fluid to a temperature lower than the desired temperature; and

a first flow regulator adapted to circulate the first fluid through said first heat exchanger, and said second heat exchanger, and said thermoelectric device;

wherein said second heat exchanger is configured to increase a coefficient of performance of said thermoelectric device by transferring energy between the first fluid and the second fluid.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said first flow regulator comprises a pump.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the desired temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said first heat exchanger comprises a low-temperature core.

5. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said second heat exchanger comprises a heater core.

21. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said thermoelectric device is configured to aid in demisting of the second fluid by cooling the second fluid to a temperature lower than the desired temperature.

22. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said theremoelectric device comprises a hot side and a cold side, and said second heat exchanger is configured to reduce a temperature difference between said hot side and said cold side of said thermoelectric device.

23. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said first fluid circulates in a first conduit system.

24. The cooling system of claim 23, wherein said second fluid flows through a second conduit system in fluid communication with a passenger cabin of a vehicle.

25. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said second heat exchanger adds thermal energy to said second fluid.

26. The cooling system of claim 25, wherein said second heat exchanger removes thermal energy from said first fluid.

27. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein said desired temperature is set by controls located in said passenger cabin.

6. A cooling system comprising:

a first heat exchanger adapted to cool a first fluid;

a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger, wherein a second fluid is conditioned to reach a desired temperature by the first fluid in said second heat exchanger;

a thermoelectric device disposed between and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, said thermoelectric device adapted to heat the first fluid and cool the second fluid to a temperature lower than the desired temperature;

a first flow regulator adapted to circulate the first fluid through said first heat exchanger, and said second heat exchanger, and said thermoelectric device; and

a bypass conduit disposed between said first heat exchanger and said thermoelectric device, wherein said bypass conduit facilitates a flow of at least a portion of the first fluid from said first heat exchanger through said bypass conduit to said thermoelectric device such that said at least a portion of said first fluid does not flow through said second heat exchanger.

7. The cooling system of claim 6, further comprising a second flow regulator disposed between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, wherein said second means for regulating flow causes the first fluid to flow through at least one of said second heat exchanger and said bypass conduit.

8. The cooling system of claim 7, wherein said second flow regulator comprises a valve.

9. The cooling system of claim 7, wherein said second flow regulator comprises a pump.

12. The cooling system of claim 7, further comprising a thermoelectric device bypass, wherein the thermoelectric device causes at least a portion of the first fluid to bypass at least a portion of said thermoelectric device.

13. The cooling system of claim 12, further comprising a third flow regulator disposed between said thermoelectric device and said first heat exchanger, wherein said third flow regulator causes the first fluid to flow through at least one of said thermoelectric device bypass and the portion of said thermoelectric device.

14. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the third flow regulator comprises a valve.

10. A cooling system comprising:

a first heat exchanger adapted to cool a first fluid;

a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger, wherein a second fluid is conditioned to reach a desired temperature by the first fluid in said second heat exchanger;

a thermoelectric device disposed between and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, said thermoelectric device adapted to heat the first fluid and cool the second fluid to a temperature lower than the desired temperature; and

a first flow regulator adapted to circulate the first fluid through said first heat exchanger, and said second heat exchanger, and said thermoelectric device;

wherein the first fluid is a liquid and the second fluid is a gas; and

wherein said second heat exchanger is configured to increase a coefficient of performance of said thermoelectric device by transferring energy between the first fluid and the second fluid.

11. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the first fluid is water and the second fluid is air.

15. A cooling system comprising:

a first heat exchanger adapted to cool a first fluid;

a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger, wherein a second fluid is conditioned to reach a desired temperature by the first fluid in said second heat exchanger;

a thermoelectric device disposed between and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, said thermoelectric device adapted to heat the first fluid and cool the second fluid to a temperature lower than the desired temperature;

a first flow regulator adapted to circulate the first fluid through said first heat exchanger, and said second heat exchanger, and said thermoelectric device; and

a thermoelectric device bypass having a second flow regulator, wherein the second flow regulator causes at least a portion of the first fluid to bypass at least a portion of said thermoelectric device.

16. The cooling system of claim 15, further comprising a bypass conduit disposed between said first heat exchanger and said thermoelectric device, wherein said bypass conduit facilitates a flow of at least a portion of the first fluid from said first heat exchanger through said bypass conduit to said thermoelectric device such that said at least a portion of said first fluid does not flow through said second heat exchanger.

17. The cooling system of claim 16, further comprising a third flow regulator disposed between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, wherein said third flow regulator causes the first fluid to flow through at least one of said second heat exchanger and said bypass conduit.

18. A cooling system comprising:

a first heat exchanger adapted to cool a first fluid;

a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger, wherein a second fluid is conditioned to reach a desired temperature by the first fluid in said second heat exchanger;

a thermoelectric device having a hot side and a cold side, said thermoelectric device disposed between and in fluid communication with said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, said thermoelectric device adapted to heat the first fluid and cool the second fluid to a temperature lower than the desired temperature; and

a first flow regulator adapted to circulate the first fluid through said first heat exchanger, and said second heat exchanger, and said thermoelectric device;

wherein said second heat exchanger is configured to reduce a temperature difference between said hot side and said cold side of said thermoelectric device.

19. The cooling system of claim 18, further comprising a second flow regulator disposed between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger, wherein said second flow regulator causes the first fluid to flow through at least one of said second heat exchanger and said bypass conduit.

20. The cooling system of claim 19, further comprising a thermoelectric device bypass having a third flow regulator disposed between said thermoelectric device and said first heat exchanger, wherein the third flow regulator causes at least a portion of the first fluid to bypass at least a portion of said thermoelectric device.