Heater-cooler with bithermal thermoelectric device
First Claim
1. A system for controlling temperature in a region, the system comprising:
- at least one main fluid channel;
at least one thermoelectric device operatively connected to the at least one main fluid channel, 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;
a first working fluid circuit;
a second working fluid circuit independently configurable from the first working fluid circuit;
wherein the 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;
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;
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;
at least a third heat exchanger disposed in the first working fluid circuit and thermally connected to a first waste surface; and
at least a fourth heat exchanger disposed in the second working fluid circuit and thermally connected to a second waste surface;
wherein the first working fluid circuit is thermally connected to the first waste surface in the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device and the second working fluid circuit is thermally connected to the second waste surface in the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device, wherein the system is configured to deliver a fluid flow that is heated, cooled, or demisted to the region, and wherein the first working fluid circuit is independently configurable from the second working fluid circuit when the system is demisting the fluid flow; and
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 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A system for controlling temperature in a region, the system comprising:
-
at least one main fluid channel; at least one thermoelectric device operatively connected to the at least one main fluid channel, 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; a first working fluid circuit; a second working fluid circuit independently configurable from the first working fluid circuit; wherein the 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; 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; 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; at least a third heat exchanger disposed in the first working fluid circuit and thermally connected to a first waste surface; and at least a fourth heat exchanger disposed in the second working fluid circuit and thermally connected to a second waste surface; wherein the first working fluid circuit is thermally connected to the first waste surface in the first thermal zone of the thermoelectric device and the second working fluid circuit is thermally connected to the second waste surface in the second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device, wherein the system is configured to deliver a fluid flow that is heated, cooled, or demisted to the region, and wherein the first working fluid circuit is independently configurable from the second working fluid circuit when the system is demisting the fluid flow; and 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
8. 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 by circulating a first working fluid in a first working fluid circuit; and subsequently adding thermal energy to at least the portion of the fluid flow in a second thermal zone of the thermoelectric device by circulating a second working fluid in a second working fluid circuit independently configurable from the first working fluid circuit; wherein the first working fluid circuit connects the thermoelectric device to a heat sink and the second working fluid circuit connects the thermoelectric device to a heat source when the HVAC system is demisting the fluid flow in the main fluid channel; 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 and 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. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. 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 comprising; 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; providing a first working fluid channel in thermal communication with a first waste surface of the at least one thermoelectric device; providing a second working fluid channel independently configurable from the first working fluid channel and in thermal communication with a second 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; wherein operatively connecting the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one fluid flow channel further comprising; connecting the first thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one first heat exchanger comprising 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; and connecting the second thermal zone of the at least one thermoelectric device to the at least one second heat exchanger; wherein the system is configured to deliver fluid that is heated, cooled, or demisted to the region, and wherein the first working fluid channel is independently configurable from the second working fluid channel when the system is demisting the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
Specification