CN101036027A

CN101036027A - Apparatus for control of fluid temperature

Info

Publication number: CN101036027A
Application number: CNA2005800303747A
Authority: CN
Inventors: P·伯恩斯
Original assignee: WORLD OF COMFORTS Ltd
Current assignee: WORLD OF COMFORTS Ltd
Priority date: 2004-09-11
Filing date: 2005-09-12
Publication date: 2007-09-12
Also published as: GB2433313A; EP1797374A1; US20080196861A1; GB0706693D0; JP2008512636A; WO2006027619A1; GB0420200D0; GB2433313B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the temperature of a fluid by heating and/or cooling. It has a reciprocating, displacement type pumping arrangement (12, 14) which propels fluid from an outlet (34) to an outlet (36) via a conditioning chamber (40, 40') in which fluid temperature control is carried out by means of a thermo-electric heat pump (50, 50') which is preferably of Peltier type.

Description

Be used to control the device of fluid temperature (F.T.)

Technical field

The present invention relates to device by heating and/or cooling control fluid temperature (F.T.).

Background technology

Here, term " fluid " refers to gas and liquid.Many devices are arranged, and wherein fluid temperature (F.T.) need raise and/or reduce.Some examples comprise: " White Goods ", and as refrigerator and washing machine; Air regulator in building or the vehicle; And many industrial process.

For example the conventional cooling unit in air regulator, refrigerator and the refrigerator depends on the compression of working fluid and adiabatic expansion subsequently.Freon is a kind of suitable working fluid.Certainly, this routine techniques is widely used, and undoubtedly very effective, but very important problem is also arranged.Usually since its in compression/expansion cycle (being commonly referred to CFCs) validity and selected working fluid is considered to important greenhouse gases.On ecology, need to abandon use to them.Also need to abandon to the required pump machine of working fluid pressurization.

Although the present invention has potential application in a lot of fields, wherein a kind of important potential use relates to the adjusting of air themperature in the air regulator.Here, term " air regulator " refers to and transmits air stream and have the equipment that is used to cool off and/or heat the device of the air that is transmitted.Conventional air-conditioning unit comes work by means of the adiabatic expansion of working fluid usually, and the working fluid that is cooled is provided to heat exchanger, and air is this heat exchanger of process under the effect of blower fan.Certainly, this adjuster is usually under thermostatic control and utilize the extra equipment that adds hot-air where necessary and be widely used in regulating air in building, the vehicle etc.

But conventional air regulator can not be applicable to some application well.Blower fan that they need be used to ventilate and the pump that acts on the working fluid.The possibility of result of their operations produces noise and vibration to a certain degree, and this uses at some, and particularly those need be unacceptable in the application of less throughput of air.Especially, the nearly body zone that also has some to need little air stream is provided to the people in using, for example weather control go to bed or the situation of taking one's seat under.These application relate to the circulation of air in closed-system that temperature is regulated.US4853992 (YU) provides a kind of example of seat cushion, and this seat cushion is cooled/heats by the air that cycles through the sealing shell that forms described seat cushion itself.Alternatively, the air of being regulated can be discharged in people's the environment, thereby provides the air of being regulated in his/her nearly body zone.In both cases, air-conditioning unit makes noise and vibration minimum just especially important usually near user installation.

As a kind of replacement scheme of the cooling device that depends on the adiabatic flow volume expansion, known use solid state thermoelectric devices.Be also referred to as " amber ear card " device with the maximally related a kind of device of this purpose, and play the effect of heat pump.The extensively example of commercialization of this device be formed sandwich, and wherein two external ceramic plates are arranged around little bismuth telluride element arrays.When the DC electric current was applied on these " heat pump pad " arrays, this device played the effect that heat is pumped into another plate from a plate.By heat is absorbed from the plate of wanting heat to be pumped on it, this device is used on another plate and applies cooling effect.Solid-state device has important advantage.Their compact conformations and do not have movable part to produce noise or vibration.The pumping direction of heat between the plate of device can oppositely, therefore, same device not only can be used for heating but also can be used for cooling by making the DC current reversal that is applied to them simply.

France formerly patent FR 2594668 (Chareire) discloses a kind of air handling system of using when sleep, its use " the new air generator of peltier effect " comes the envelope chamber on sleeper's head that air is provided.It depends on blower fan and ventilates.GB990668 (Malaker laboratory company) relates to a kind of like this refrigeration system, and wherein amber ear card device uses in the mode of series connection, to obtain low-down temperature.Cooled air circulates between compression and expander cylinders, through amber ear card device.JP4265482 (Kinoshita Masahiko etc.) discloses the Peltier's element with radiation fin has been set in air flue, enters the air of cylinder body with cooling.EP0672831 (Isco) relates to a kind of device that is used for the supercritical fluid suction, and it uses thermoelectric element to come the coolant pump device.US5242403 discloses a kind of measuring pump that is used to distribute volatile anaesthetic liquid.This device has the piston/cylinder arrangements by the cooling of amber ear card device, and has the holder by the separation of another amber ear card device cooling.

In these one type of prior art syringe, there are some to use reciprocating pump that the example of throughput of fluid is provided.Wherein, the cylinder body of amber ear card device coolant pump is so that the fluid that cooling is pumped.The inwall of cylinder body must smooth and not provide the ideal device with the fluid thermal exchange.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, a kind of device that is used to control fluid temperature (F.T.) is provided, comprise: fluid intake, fluid issuing and reciprocal displacement type pump device, this pump installation is arranged through inlet and sucks fluid and discharge fluid by outlet, wherein said pump installation is communicated with one of entrance and exit via regulating the chamber, the described adjusting of the process chamber, path that fluid is exporting from entering the mouth to, and in described adjusting chamber, implement fluid temperature (F.T.) control, described device also comprises at least one solid-state thermo-electric heat pump, it has and regulates hot linked first side of fluid in the chamber and be arranged to transfer heat to heat sink or reception second side from the heat of thermal source, make that by this thermo-electric heat pump the temperature of regulating the fluid in chamber wall and the adjusting chamber is controllable.

Use the pump installation propulsive fluid by the feasible inside that can form this chamber, the adjusting chamber of separating, the i.e. heat exchange of its promotion and fluid by following mode.The inside of regulating the chamber can be configured as and provide high surface to be used for heat exchange.

Preferred embodiment comprises the exchange characteristics of regulating in the chamber, and described exchange characteristics has the surface that is exposed to the fluid in the adjusting chamber, carrying out heat exchange with fluid, described exchange characteristics also with described thermo-electric heat pump thermally coupled to carry out heat exchange with it.This features in question has promoted the heat exchange between fluid and the thermo-electric heat pump.They can comprise fin.Preferably, they form with adjusting chamber wall.

Pump installation preferably includes cylinder body and reciprocating-piston.

Easily among the embodiment, cylinder body is circular in structure, and described adjusting chamber is for around described cylinder body and concentric with it cardinal principle annular or semi-circular cavity.

Regulate the chamber wall and arrange around at least a portion of described cylinder body, described adjusting chamber is limited between the inner surface of the outer surface of described cylinder body and described adjusting chamber wall.

Under the situation that device of the present invention is used to cool off, it preferably includes heat sink, and it is arranged to receive the heat from second side of described thermo-electric heat pump.In this embodiment, heat sink formation is around the cover of described adjusting chamber wall.

In particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, cylinder body is divided into first and second working chambers by piston, making moves fluid is drawn in first working chamber and from second working chamber along the piston of a direction discharges, piston motion is in opposite direction discharged fluid and fluid is drawn in second working chamber from first working chamber, described unit also comprises valve gear, its any working chamber of optionally just being discharged fluid any time is connected to pump discharge, thus provide by the outlet folk prescription to stream.

Preferably, each working chamber is communicated with the respective one-way valve that is arranged to discharge fluid from this chamber and be connected to outlet.More preferably, each chamber is communicated with the corresponding check valve that is arranged to allow fluid to enter this chamber in addition.

In principle, two working chambers can be supplied with single adjusting chamber.But, preferably, the inventive system comprises first and second and regulate the chamber, it can be communicated with first and second working chambers in the cylinder body respectively.

Easily, the described first and second adjusting chambeies form the ring around cylinder body together.This can realize that in this structure, first and second regulate the chamber both is limited between cylinder body and the adjusting chamber wall by following structure.

Reciprocating pump may cause very big vibration, but the enough big situation of swept volume in the less and pump for throughput of fluid amount demand wherein in fact is to such an extent as to the frequency of the reciprocating part of pump and their motions can very little vibration and the noise of enough little generation.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a kind of fluid cooling device is provided, it comprises reciprocal displacement type pump and links to each other with cooling chamber in order to cool off its at least one solid-state thermo-electric heat pump at fluid during by cooling chamber that this reciprocal displacement type pump is arranged to make the fluid folk prescription to export circulation to ground from entering the mouth to via at least one cooling chamber.

Description of drawings

Now will be only by example and specific embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the drawings, in the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is the axial schematic cross sectional views according to the fluid temperature controller of the present invention's structure;

Fig. 1 a is the radially schematic cross sectional views of device shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 2 is the decomposition view according to the critical piece of another fluid temperature controller of the present invention's structure;

Fig. 3 shows the device shown in Figure 2 cutaway view on plane vertically;

Fig. 4 shows the radially cutaway view on plane of same device;

Fig. 5 is the perspective view of the outside of same device;

Fig. 6 shows the plane of the end plate of same device; With

Fig. 7 shows the axial cutaway view that is used in the ball valve in the described device.

The specific embodiment

Fig. 1 is the concrete view of simplifying a little of implementing device of the present invention, and it is used to illustrate some relative theories.This device 10 is independent monoblock type, comprises pump that makes the fluid circulation and the heat-exchange device that is used to regulate fluid.

Pump is displacement repeatedly, has piston 12, and it is contained in the cylinder body 14, and piston 12 forms sealing with cylinder body 14 but is slidingly matched.Piston back and forth drives with low speed by the driving screw 16 that extends through cylinder body and be supported on by means of

corresponding end cap

18,20 in the opposite end of cylinder body.Electro-motor 22 is by actuator drives driving screw 16.In the present embodiment, when its end of travel of piston arrives, the direction of motion of piston is reverse and reverse by the direction of rotation that makes motor 22.To those skilled in the art, realize that the appropriate device of this point is conspicuous, a pair of microswitch for example is set, it is arranged to when its stroke associated end of piston arrives by plunger actuation and is connected to motor control electronic device.Driving screw is received in axially running through in the screwed hole in the piston 12, and rotatablely moving of driving screw converts the rectilinear motion of piston to whereby.Certainly, must prevent that piston 12 from rotating with driving screw, but the common sufficient to guarantee this point of the friction between piston and the cylinder body.It is evident that for those of ordinary skills, also can adopt other device to come driven plunger repeatedly in other embodiments, for example use crank or eccentric driving device.

Although the piston travel direction is reverse, pump need provide unidirectional air stream.Piston with its cylinder body 14 be divided into a pair of working

chamber

26,26 '.A pair of check valve 30,32 and 30 ', 32 ' be communicated with each working chamber.Two valves that are communicated with given working chamber are directed on the contrary.That is, this is arranged to allow air to enter the relevant work chamber to a valve in the valve, and another valve is arranged to air is therefrom discharged.Two intake valves 30,30 ' be connected to the common air input of air-conditioning unit, it is schematically represented with 34.Two air bleeding valves 32,32 ' be connected to the common air exhaust end of device, it is schematically represented with 36.No matter the piston travel direction is how, always a working chamber 26 or 26 ' by common exhaust end 36 and air bleeding valve 32 or 32 ' discharges air thereof is arranged, and another chamber 26 ' or 26 pass through common arrival end 34 and valve 30 thereof ', 30 admission of airs.Like this, valve has been guaranteed unidirectional and (the blink in the motion repeatedly of piston when piston is static) continuous the handling up of fluid.But in other embodiments, two inlets and two outlets needn't connect together.On the contrary, they can lead to different fluid sources and/or use point.Especially, can provide, experience a plurality of cooling stages to allow fluid, thereby reach low especially temperature from exporting to the fluid circulation of inlet.

It should be noted that cylinder body 14 is contained in the cylindrical shell body 38, and fluid enters into the path of working chamber 26 via the semi-annular chambers 40 that is limited between cylinder body 14 and the housing 38 by intake valve 30.Similarly, fluid by intake valve 30 ' enter into working chamber 26 ' path via semi-annular chambers 40 '.Two semi-annular chambers 40,40 ' along the extension of cylinder body length and by 42,44 separations of longitudinal subdivision wall, as seen described

longitudinal subdivision wall

42,44, is positioned at the same plane that comprises the cylinder body axis in Fig. 2.The result of this layout is, is in the far-end of cylinder body with respect to this chamber to the intake valve 30 of working chamber 26 air inlets, similarly, intake valve 30 ' be in cylinder body with respect to the working chamber 26 of intake valve 30 ' air inlet for it ' far-end.

Semi-annular chambers 40,40 ' can be called " adjusting chamber ", reason be just in their inside by means of solid state thermoelectric devices 50,50 ' the implement adjusting of convection cell by cooling and/or heating.One group of corresponding thermoelectric device be positioned at two chambeies 40,40 ', these devices that are positioned at given chamber are connected to common power supply/control panel.These devices are arranged in semicircle mode and regulate in the chamber.Because the length in chamber and lower throughput of air, near the residence time of air thermoelectric device is very long.For example can operate the power supply of thermoelectric device based on the Temperature-controlled appliance of the temperature of delivery air.By make offer thermoelectric device DC power supply oppositely, can make described unit add hot-air rather than cool off it.Can in the working chamber of pump or its outlet, use thermistor to survey the temperature of delivery air.

Fig. 2 to 7 illustrates the more structure detail of second physical embodiments of the present invention.Many critical pieces of this embodiment have correspondence in the device of Fig. 1 and 1a, identical Reference numeral is used for these parts in whole specification.In a second embodiment, piston 12 drives by driving screw 16 by means of electro-motor 22 again.Also prevent the piston rotation with the friction of screw rod, thereby piston and cylinder body formation are sealed and matched by means of the guide rod 100 that passes piston.Cylinder body 14 has on the relative both sides that are positioned at piston and at the

partition wall

42,44 of common axial plane.In the present embodiment, regulate chamber 40,40 ' by a pair of semi-circular cover 102,102 ' formation around the cylinder body location.These covers are preferably formed by metal by Heat Conduction Material.They all have the chamber wall portion 104,104 that regulates ', its on radially-outer surface, have the solid-state thermoelectric (al) type heat

pump assembly heap

50,50 of corresponding amber ear card type '.Each wall portion 104,104 ' inner radial surface be provided be used to promote and corresponding adjusting chamber in fluid between the feature of heat exchange.Compare with the situation of smooth periphery, these features are used to increase the surface area that can be used for heat exchange.In the present embodiment, they be fin 106,106 ' form, these fins and chamber wall 104,104 ' integrally formed also extend vertically.Its effect is to form one group of narrow passage to be used to the fluid of handling up in each regulates the chamber, and heat exchange is strengthened in this narrow passage.

Under the situation that device is used to cool off, heat from fluid be delivered to regulate chamber wall 104,104 ', thus by heat pump assembly 50,50 ' pumping, described heat pump assembly is installed on the wall of chamber and thermally coupled with it.In order to dissipate this heat, the shell body of device forms heat sink.This housing is configured to two case half 108,108 ' and around semi-circular cover 102,102 ' assembling, regulate the chamber thereby form.Its innermost surface is cylindrical, and its outer surface is by one group of fin 112,112 ' form, thereby the surface area that carries out heat exchange with atmosphere is provided.If necessary, fin is used in air stream is provided on the fin.

Need with heat from heat pump assembly 50,50 ' the outermost layer pad be transmitted to the path of external heat sink, in the present invention, the hot linked semi-circular adjusting cover 114,114 of this outermost surface ' provide by its inner radial surface and heat pump assembly.Heat conduction cover on the conduction vanes 116,116 that has one on their radially-outer surface ', it forms the ring that extends in the present embodiment on circumference, be used to conduct the heat to form heat sink case half 108,108 '.

Provide by the recess in the

end plate

18,20 pass air into, the chamber of bleeder or between the chamber, flow, one of end plate itself is shown in Figure 6.Axial through hole 120,120 " is used for allowing fluid to enter corresponding cylinder body working chamber (see figure 3) and admits check valve (it omits at Fig. 3, but will be described below).Need conduit with each

working chamber

26,26 in the cylinder body ' be connected to relative adjusting chamber, this provides by the semi-circular recess 124 that is formed in the end plate and be positioned to be communicated with respective chamber.From the fluid issuing of regulating the chamber by " C " shape recess 130 and the radial hole 132 that extends from recess, described recess 130 is positioned to only be communicated with corresponding adjusting chamber, described radial hole 132 screw threads are twisted ground connection and are admitted unidirectional outlet valve (not shown in Fig. 6, but shown in Figure 7).

End plate

18,20 is by heat-barrier material, and plastics form particularly, so that from external heat sink 108,108 ' transmit minimum to the heat of internal part.

For integrality, Fig. 7 has shown a kind of suitable check valve, although its structure is conventional and those of ordinary skills also understand various other suitable valve gears certainly.Valve 140 has the ball 142 in the circular valve chest 144 that is contained in hollow with being tied, and valve chest 144 provides valve inlet 146 and outlet 148.Ball can seesaw between valve seat 150 and stop shoulder 152, and when being necessary to prevent that fluid from refluxing, valve forms sealing against ball seat, and ball can be resisted against on the stop shoulder and can not hinder forward fluid stream.

Shown device is very suitable for as air-conditioning unit, and in this case, the adjusting air that it is discharged can offer the bed or the seat of control weather.Input air can come from common environment or alternatively, air can be from bed or seat recirculation.The present invention also can be applicable to refrigerating field.Can supply to the drawer of refrigerator, refrigerator and cooler drawer etc. from the air output of the cooling of above-mentioned air-conditioning unit, so that necessary cooling effect to be provided.Alternatively, describe above and shown here identical total structure can be used on the liquid that is used for cooling off the heat exchanger that will offer the refrigeration drawer or the device of gaseous working fluid.The entrance and exit of device can be connected to described heat exchanger and working fluid is circulated therein.

In fact, specifically implement device of the present invention and have various possible purposes.Water cooling is exactly one of them.Filter can be arranged in the fluid flow path, to remove the impurity such as water pollutant.Can implement electrolysis on the fluid in device under the controlled temperature.In the processing again of uranium, need fluid temperature regulation, can use this device in this respect.

Claims

1. device that is used to control fluid temperature (F.T.), comprise: fluid intake, fluid issuing and reciprocal displacement type pump device, this pump installation is arranged through inlet and sucks fluid and pass through the outlet exhaust fluid, wherein said pump installation is communicated with one of entrance and exit via regulating the chamber, the described adjusting of the process chamber, path that fluid is exporting from entering the mouth to, and in described adjusting chamber, implement fluid temperature (F.T.) control, described device also comprises at least one solid-state thermo-electric heat pump, it has and regulates hot linked first side of fluid in the chamber and be arranged to transfer heat to heat sink or reception second side from the heat of thermal source, make that by this thermo-electric heat pump the temperature of regulating the fluid in chamber wall and the adjusting chamber is controllable.

2. device as claimed in claim 1, comprise and be positioned at the shaping exchange characteristics of regulating the chamber, described exchange characteristics has and is exposed to the fluid regulated in the chamber surface to carry out heat exchange with fluid, described exchange characteristics also with described thermo-electric heat pump thermally coupled to carry out heat exchange with it.

3. device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, described adjusting chamber has heat conducting wall, and the interior exposed of described heat conducting wall is given fluid, and described thermo-electric heat pump is installed in the outside and thermally coupled with it of described adjusting chamber wall.

4. device as claimed in claim 2 is characterized in that described exchange characteristics comprises fin.

5. device as claimed in claim 2 is characterized in that, described exchange characteristics and described adjusting chamber wall are integrally formed.

6. as claim 4 or 5 described devices, it is characterized in that described fin longshore current body flow direction in described adjusting chamber extends.

7. each described device in the claim as described above is characterized in that described pump comprises piston and cylinder body.

8. device as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that, described cylinder body is circular, and described adjusting chamber is for centering on described cylinder body and concentric with it cardinal principle annular or semi-circular cavity.

9. as claim 7 or 8 described devices, it is characterized in that the heat conducting wall in aforementioned adjusting chamber arranges around at least a portion of described cylinder body, described adjusting chamber is limited between the inner surface of the outer surface of described cylinder body and described adjusting chamber wall.

10. each described device in the claim as described above also comprises heat sinkly, and it is arranged to receive the heat from second side of described thermo-electric heat pump.

11. as claim 7,8 or 9 described devices, also comprise heat sinkly, it is arranged to receive from the heat of second side of described thermo-electric heat pump and forms cover around described adjusting chamber wall.

12. as claim 7,8,9 or 11 described devices, it is characterized in that, described cylinder body is divided into first and second working chambers by piston, making moves fluid is drawn in first working chamber and from second working chamber along the piston of a direction discharges, piston motion is in opposite direction discharged fluid and fluid is drawn in second working chamber from first working chamber, described unit also comprises valve gear, its any working chamber of optionally just being discharged fluid any time is connected to pump discharge, thus provide by the outlet folk prescription to stream.

13. device as claimed in claim 12 is characterized in that, each working chamber is communicated with corresponding check valve, and described check valve is arranged to from this chamber discharge fluid and is connected to outlet.

14. device as claimed in claim 13 is characterized in that, each chamber is communicated with the corresponding check valve that is arranged to allow fluid to enter this chamber in addition.

15. as each described device among the claim 12-14, comprise that first and second regulate chambeies, it is communicated with first and second working chambers in the cylinder body respectively.

16. device as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that, the described first and second adjusting chambeies form the ring around cylinder body together.

17. device as claimed in claim 16 is characterized in that, described first and second regulate the chamber all is limited between cylinder body and the adjusting chamber wall.

18. device as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, the described first and second adjusting chambeies are separated from one another by the partition wall that is positioned at the plane that comprises the cylinder body axis.

19. each described device in the claim is characterized in that described pump installation comprises driving screw as described above, it engages with piston thread so that driven plunger reciprocally.

20 each described devices in the claim as described above, this device is a conditioner.

21. bed or seat comprise conditioner as claimed in claim 20.

22. a refrigeration unit, it is provided with according to each described device among the claim 1-19.