High capacity thermoelectric temperature control system

• US 7,946,120 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Diller, Robert, Crane, Douglas, Bell, Lon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Melvin
• Application Number:
  US11/829,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20080245398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 62/32, 62/36, 62/37, 622/592
• US Class Current: 62/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/043 the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/021 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 33/00 Boilers; Analysers; Rectifiers boiler-absorbers F25B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/17 characterised by the structure or configuration of the cell or thermocouple forming the device

Abstract

A thermoelectric system includes a first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second plurality of thermoelectric elements. The thermoelectric system further includes a plurality of heat transfer devices. Each heat transfer device has a first side in thermal communication with two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second side in thermal communication with one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements, so as to form a stack of thermoelectric elements and heat transfer devices. The two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in parallel electrical communication with one another, and the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in series electrical communication with the one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric system comprising:

a first plurality of thermoelectric elements;

a second plurality of thermoelectric elements; and

a plurality of heat transfer devices, each heat transfer device having a first side in thermal communication with two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second side in thermal communication with one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements, so as to form a stack of thermoelectric elements and heat transfer devices, wherein the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in parallel electrical communication with one another, and the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in series electrical communication with the one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements.

2. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein the one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements comprises two or more thermoelectric elements in parallel electrical communication with one another.

3. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are P-type.

4. The thermoelectric system of claim 3, wherein the thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements are N-type.

5. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein each heat transfer device thermally isolates the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements from the two or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements.

6. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein the stack is arranged to provide thermal isolation in the direction of a working medium movement.

7. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein each heat transfer device accepts a working fluid to flow therethrough in a general direction of the heat transfer device.

8. The thermoelectric system of claim 7, wherein the general direction of two or more heat transfer devices of the plurality of heat transfer devices are substantially parallel to one another.

9. The thermoelectric system of claim 8, wherein the general direction of at least two heat transfer devices of the plurality of heat transfer devices are substantially opposite to one another.

10. The thermoelectric system of claim 7, wherein a first working fluid is cooled by flowing through a first set of the heat transfer devices and a second working fluid is heated by flowing through a second set of the heat transfer devices.

11. The thermoelectric system of claim 10, wherein the first working fluid flows generally along the stack in a first direction and the second working fluid flows generally along the stack in a second direction, the first direction generally parallel to the second direction.

12. The thermoelectric system of claim 11, wherein the first direction is generally opposite to the second direction.

13. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein each heat transfer device comprises a housing and one or more heat exchanger elements inside the housing.

14. A thermoelectric system comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric modules; and

a plurality of heat transfer devices, each heat transfer device comprising a housing and one or more heat exchanger elements inside the housing, each heat transfer device accepting a working fluid to flow therethrough, at least some of the heat transfer devices in thermal communication with and sandwiched between at least two thermoelectric modules of the plurality of thermoelectric modules so as to form a stack of alternating thermoelectric modules and heat transfer devices arranged to provide thermal isolation along a direction of a working medium movement.

15. The thermoelectric system of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises copper and the one or more heat exchanger elements comprise copper fins.

16. The thermoelectric system of claim 14, wherein the housing and the one or more heat exchanger elements are unitary in construction.

17. The thermoelectric system of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a first surface and a second surface generally parallel to the first surface, the first surface in thermal communication and in electrical communication with at least a first thermoelectric module of the plurality of thermoelectric modules, the second surface in thermal communication and in electrical communication with at least a second thermoelectric module of the plurality of thermoelectric modules.

18. The thermoelectric system of claim 17, wherein the first thermoelectric module is soldered to the first surface of a first housing and the second thermoelectric module is soldered to the second surface of the first housing.

19. The thermoelectric system of claim 18, wherein the second thermoelectric module is soldered to the first surface of a second housing.

20. The thermoelectric system of claim 17, wherein each heat transfer device comprises an inlet through which the working fluid enters the heat transfer device and an outlet through which the working fluid exits the heat transfer device.

21. The thermoelectric system of claim 20, wherein the working fluid flows through the inlet in a direction generally perpendicular to the first surface and flows through the outlet in a direction generally perpendicular to the second surface.

22. A thermoelectric system comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric modules; and

a plurality of heat transfer devices, each heat transfer device accepting a working fluid to flow therethrough, at least some of the heat transfer devices in thermal communication with and sandwiched between at least two thermoelectric modules of the plurality of thermoelectric modules so as to form a stack of alternating thermoelectric modules and heat transfer devices arranged to provide thermal isolation along a direction of a working medium movement, wherein a first working fluid is cooled by flowing through a first set of the heat transfer devices and a second working fluid is heated by flowing through a second set of the heat transfer devices, wherein the second working fluid comprises one or more portions of the first working fluid after having flowed through one or more portions of the first set of heat transfer devices.

23. The thermoelectric system of claim 22, wherein the one or more portions of the first working fluid comprise a plurality of portions of the first working fluid after having flowed through a plurality of portions of the first set of heat transfer devices.

28. The thermoelectric system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric modules comprises a first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second plurality of thermoelectric elements, and wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises at least one heat transfer device having a first side in thermal communication with two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second side in thermal communication with one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in parallel electrical communication with one another, and the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in series electrical communication with the one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements.

29. The thermoelectric system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises at least one heat transfer device comprising a housing and one or more heat exchanger elements inside the housing.

24. A thermoelectric system comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric modules; and

a plurality of heat transfer devices, each heat transfer device accepting a working fluid to flow therethrough, at least some of the heat transfer devices in thermal communication with and sandwiched between at least two thermoelectric modules of the plurality of thermoelectric modules so as to form a stack of alternating thermoelectric modules and heat transfer devices arranged to provide thermal isolation along a direction of a working medium movement, wherein a first working fluid is cooled by flowing through a first set of the heat transfer devices and a second working fluid is heated by flowing through a second set of the heat transfer devices, wherein the second working fluid comprises a portion of the first working fluid that does not flow through at least a portion of the first set of heat transfer devices.

30. The thermoelectric system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric modules comprises a first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second plurality of thermoelectric elements, and wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises at least one heat transfer device having a first side in thermal communication with two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second side in thermal communication with one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in parallel electrical communication with one another, and the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in series electrical communication with the one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements.

31. The thermoelectric system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises at least one heat transfer device comprising a housing and one or more heat exchanger elements inside the housing.

25. A thermoelectric system comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric modules; and

a plurality of heat transfer devices, each heat transfer device accepting a working fluid to flow therethrough, at least some of the heat transfer devices in thermal communication with and sandwiched between at least two thermoelectric modules of the plurality of thermoelectric modules so as to form a stack of alternating thermoelectric modules and heat transfer devices arranged to provide thermal isolation along a direction of a working medium movement, wherein a first working fluid is cooled by flowing through a first set of the heat transfer devices and a second working fluid is heated by flowing through a second set of the heat transfer devices, wherein the second working fluid comprises the first working fluid after having flowed through the first set of heat transfer devices.

26. The thermoelectric system of claim 25, wherein the first working fluid comprises vapor at a temperature above a condensation point of the vapor, the first working fluid cooled to a temperature below the condensation point by flowing through at least a portion of the first set of heat transfer devices such that at least a portion of the vapor condenses to a liquid, the second working fluid comprising the first working fluid without the at least a portion of the vapor.

27. The thermoelectric system of claim 26, wherein the first working fluid comprises water vapor and air, and the second working fluid comprises the first working fluid with at least a portion of the water vapor removed.

32. The thermoelectric system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of thermoelectric modules comprises a first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second plurality of thermoelectric elements, and wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises at least one heat transfer device having a first side in thermal communication with two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements and a second side in thermal communication with one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in parallel electrical communication with one another, and the two or more thermoelectric elements of the first plurality of thermoelectric elements are in series electrical communication with the one or more thermoelectric elements of the second plurality of thermoelectric elements.

33. The thermoelectric system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises at least one heat transfer device comprising a housing and one or more heat exchanger elements inside the housing.