GB2207321A - Thermoelectric cooling element - Google Patents
Thermoelectric cooling element Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2207321A GB2207321A GB08815109A GB8815109A GB2207321A GB 2207321 A GB2207321 A GB 2207321A GB 08815109 A GB08815109 A GB 08815109A GB 8815109 A GB8815109 A GB 8815109A GB 2207321 A GB2207321 A GB 2207321A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- cooling element
- element according
- superconductor material
- rare earth
- peltier
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10N10/00—Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects
- H10N10/80—Constructional details
- H10N10/85—Thermoelectric active materials
- H10N10/851—Thermoelectric active materials comprising inorganic compositions
- H10N10/855—Thermoelectric active materials comprising inorganic compositions comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen
- H10N10/8552—Thermoelectric active materials comprising inorganic compositions comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen the compounds being superconducting
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Compositions Of Oxide Ceramics (AREA)
Description
5-1 1 COOLING ELEMENT r_ -.4 / 1621 2nO The present Invention relates to a
cooling element, particularly to a thermoelectric cooling element which makes use of the so-called Peltier effect created In" the passing of electric current through the coupling of two different conductors.
cooling elements based on the Peltier effect have traditionally been used in the cooling and thermal adjustment of various Instruments. Suitable applications have been found also in products designed for consumers. The most important advantages of the Peltier cooling method are small size, nearly nonexistent need for maintenance and the extreme simplicity of use - heat is transferred from the object to be cooled into the heat exchanger via the direct current passing through the cooling element.
The Peltier effect means that while electric current passes through the coupling of two different conductors, the coupling is cooled or heated according to the direction of the current. The explanation for the phenomenon Is that In conductors which are thermally unbalanced, the heat flow carried by the conducting electrones towards the coupling and away therefrom differ from each other.
Depending on the temperature, the so-called Peltier factor n(T) for the materials A and B can be defined so that the caloric capacity bound In the coupling joint of A and B Is Q = j If( A (T) -- -Y,, (T) 1, when current 1 passes through the coupling. The cooling (or heating) is thus all the more effective, the more the Pelt! er factors of the materials differ from each other.
A limit for the lowest temperatures achieved by using the traditional Peltier elements Is set by the fact that even 2 with the best known materials, the difference between the Peltier factorsdecreases rapidly along with a sufficient decrease In the temperature.
The best traditional Peltler elements are most generally made of strongly tempered bismuth telluride semiconductor. With one element, a temperature difference of about 70 K can be created, and by installing several elements successively. even temperatures somewhat lower than 173 K (-1000 C) are achieved.
The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate some of the drawbacks of the prior art and to realize an improved cooling element based on the Peltier effect, by means of which element temperatures even lower than before can be achieved. The essential novel features of the invention are apparent from the appended patent claim 1.
According to the Invention, the cooling element is advantageously formed so that at least one branch of the Peltier element is made of some superconductor material with an essentially high critical temperature. The second branch of the Peltier element can in that case be made of some as such known Peltier element material, such as the bismuth telluride referred to In the description of the prior art, the Peltier factor whereof Is essentially high in the desired temperature.
The superconductor material used In the cooling element of the Invention can advantageously be a ceramic superconductor containing at least one rare earth metal. Such material Is for example an oxide formed by a rare earth metal, barium.and copper. advantageously In the form RE BaCu_,%, where RE Is a rare earth metal, such as yttrium.
Because the Peltier factor of a superconductor quickly drops down to zero when below the critical temperature, a f 1 V_ 3 remarkably better cooling efficiency In the lowest temperatures Is achieved.with the described cooling element than with traditional Peltier elements. The cooling efficiency attainable for the new element Is also enhanced by the fact that heat Is not created In the superconducting branch owing to the lack of ohmic losses.
i 4
Claims (6)
1. A thermoelectric cooling element using the Peltier effect created in the passing of electric current through.the coupling of two different conductors, wherein at least one of the conductors of said element is made of superconductor material.
2. A cooling element according to claim 1, wherein-said superconductor material contains at least one rare earth metal.
3. A cooling element according to claim 1,.wherein the superconductor material contains yttrium.
4. A cooling element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the superconductor material is an oxide formed by a rare earth material, barium and copper.
5. A cooling element according to claim 4, wherein the superconductor material is in the form RE Ba 2 Cu 3 0 71 where RE is any rare earth metal.
6. A thermoelectric cooling element according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described.
_--------- --- --------- ------- ------ Published 19B8 at The Patent Office. State House. 66 71 High holborn. London WC1R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent OMce, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray. Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD- Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray, Kent. Con. 1'877.
1 i
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FI872894A FI872894A (en) | 1987-07-01 | 1987-07-01 | The cooling element. |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8815109D0 GB8815109D0 (en) | 1988-08-03 |
| GB2207321A true GB2207321A (en) | 1989-01-25 |
| GB2207321B GB2207321B (en) | 1991-07-03 |
Family
ID=8524747
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8815109A Expired - Fee Related GB2207321B (en) | 1987-07-01 | 1988-06-24 | Cooling element |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE3822118A1 (en) |
| FI (1) | FI872894A (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2617643A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2207321B (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0296706A3 (en) * | 1987-06-26 | 1989-11-08 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | A thermoelectric material a thermoelectric material |
| WO1990001806A1 (en) * | 1988-08-08 | 1990-02-22 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Peltier cooling stage utilizing a superconductor-semiconductor junction |
| EP0425165A2 (en) * | 1989-10-26 | 1991-05-02 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Low-temperature refrigerating device using current-carrying superconducting mode/nonsuperconducting mode junctions |
| US5352299A (en) * | 1987-06-26 | 1994-10-04 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Thermoelectric material |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4362023A (en) * | 1981-07-29 | 1982-12-07 | The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy | Thermoelectric refrigerator having improved temperature stabilization means |
| JPH0617225B2 (en) * | 1987-06-26 | 1994-03-09 | シャープ株式会社 | Thermoelectric conversion material |
-
1987
- 1987-07-01 FI FI872894A patent/FI872894A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
1988
- 1988-06-24 GB GB8815109A patent/GB2207321B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1988-06-29 FR FR8808727A patent/FR2617643A1/en active Pending
- 1988-06-30 DE DE3822118A patent/DE3822118A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0296706A3 (en) * | 1987-06-26 | 1989-11-08 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | A thermoelectric material a thermoelectric material |
| US5352299A (en) * | 1987-06-26 | 1994-10-04 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Thermoelectric material |
| WO1990001806A1 (en) * | 1988-08-08 | 1990-02-22 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Peltier cooling stage utilizing a superconductor-semiconductor junction |
| US5006505A (en) * | 1988-08-08 | 1991-04-09 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Peltier cooling stage utilizing a superconductor-semiconductor junction |
| AU620447B2 (en) * | 1988-08-08 | 1992-02-20 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Peltier cooling stage utilizing a superconductor- semiconductor junction |
| EP0425165A2 (en) * | 1989-10-26 | 1991-05-02 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Low-temperature refrigerating device using current-carrying superconducting mode/nonsuperconducting mode junctions |
| EP0425165A3 (en) * | 1989-10-26 | 1991-10-09 | Hughes Aircraft Company | Low-temperature refrigerating device using current-carrying superconducting mode/nonsuperconducting mode junctions |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2617643A1 (en) | 1989-01-06 |
| FI872894A0 (en) | 1987-07-01 |
| GB8815109D0 (en) | 1988-08-03 |
| FI872894A (en) | 1989-01-02 |
| DE3822118A1 (en) | 1989-01-12 |
| GB2207321B (en) | 1991-07-03 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19920624 |