GB2484954A

GB2484954A - Combined fan, thermoelectric device and heat pipe used to circulate air that has been heated by a heating appliance

Info

Publication number: GB2484954A
Application number: GB1018161.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ramiro Javier Villanueva
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-10-27
Filing date: 2010-10-27
Publication date: 2012-05-02
Also published as: GB201018161D0

Abstract

A combined fan, thermoelectric device and heat pipe used to circulate air that has been heated by a heating appliance comprises a base plate in contact with the heating appliance and transmits heat through a heat transfer piece to a hot side of the thermoelectric device and a cold side of the thermoelectric device is cooled by the use of a heat pipe. The electricity generated by the thermoelectric device is used to drive blades of the fan. The cold side of the thermoelectric device does not need to be cooled by the airflow from the fan. The fan and the thermoelectric device may be located on different parts of the heating appliance (fig 5) or integrated into a single device. The base plate may be attached to the heating appliance by neodymium magnets. The heat pipe may use internal capillary transmission to allow the heat pipe to be used horizontally (fig 4). The heating appliance may be a stove and the device may be located anywhere on the heating appliance.

Description

Modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan for heating appliances*.

Seebeck effect thermoelectric fans are usually used to circulate air inside of a room that is being heated by solid fuel burners, gas burners or oil burning appliances*.

These fans generate their own electricity by exposing a thermoelectric couple (TEC) to temperature difference (fig I). When each side of the couple is exposed to different temperatures, the TEC will produce electricity that is later used to power the blades driving motor.

In order to produce such temperature difference, traditional thermoelectric fans rely on big heat sink exposed to the airflow produced by the fans spinning blades (fig 2). The main inconvenience in these traditional designs is that, in order to operate properly, they rely on two factors: I-Positioning of the fan over the stove/appliance. Existing manufacturers indicate to place the fan on the back of the appliance's top plate or on one side in an effort to expose the top of the fan to as much cold air as possible (fig 3). These traditional thermoelectric fans will fail to operate properly if placed near the flue, in the center of the top plate or simply over an inset appliance configuration where the appliance is not surrounded by cold air.

2-The need of forced airflow to cool down the heat sink (fig 3).

Compared to a traditional heat sink, heat-pipes are a much more efficient method to transport heat (fig 4). The combination of a TEC with the efficiency of heat-pipes results in a thermoelectric fan that can be placed anywhere over the heating appliance, even near the flue pipe. The main difference with traditional thermoelectric fans is that this design does not depend on the cooler air flow produced by the spinning blades to cool down the CRC (fig 5).

Modular heat-pipe Seebeck fan offers two possible configurations Configuration A (figure 5), a two module configuration consisting in seven main components: 1-A base plate that will be in contact with the side or rear wall of the heating appliance, the horizontal attachment is achieved by the use of Neodymium magnets.

2-A heat transmitting piece that will transfer the heat from the bottom plate to the hot side of the TEC.

3-A TEC 4-A heat-pipe radiator attached on to a base plate in contact with the cold side of the TEC (please note that components 1, 2 and 3 are kept together by stainless steel screws as shown in fig 6).

5-A motor foot with Neodymium magnets fixings (fig 7) 6-A brush-less electric motor.

7-A spinning blade for moving the air.

(Components 1, 2 and 3 make the Generation Module. Components 5, 6 and 7 make the Air Movement Module. Both modules are connected by cables).

Operation: Heat is transmitted on to the TEC via the base plate and heat transmitting piece while the opposite side of the TEC is being cooled

I

down by the action of the heat-pipes in the Generation Module (fig 5).

The electricity produced by the TEC is transported with heat resistant cables to the Air Movement Module where the spinning blades will circulate the air away from the heating appliance.

It is important to underline that, unlike traditional thermoelectric fans; the cold side of the device does NOT require the airflow produced by the f an to cool down the TEC. The heat pipe used features internal wick capillary transmition capabilities that allow the heat-pipe to operate horizontally.

Configuration B (figure 6), an integrated module consistent in six main components: I-A base plate that will be in contact with the heating appliance.

2-A heat transmitting piece that will transfer the heat from the bottom plate to the hot side of the thermoelectric couple.

3-A TEC 4-A heat-pipe radiator in contact with the cold side of the thermocouple.

5-A brush-less electric motor with mounting brackets.

6-A blade for moving air.

Operation: Heat is transmitted on to the TEC via the base plate and heat transmitting piece while the opposite side of the TEC is being cooled down by the action of the heat-pipes in the Generation Module (fig 5).

The electricity produced by the TEC is transported with heat resistant cables to the Motor used to spin the air moving blades.

It is important to underline that, unlike traditional thermoelectric fans; the cold aide of the device does NOT require the airflow produced by the fan to cool down the TEC.

Claims

Claims: 1. A modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan for use in conjunction with heating appliances.
2. A modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan according to claim 1, in which the cooling of the TEC is achieved by the action of heat-pipe/s.
3. A modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan according to claim 1, in which the cooling of the TEC's does not require the airflow produced by the fan's spinning blades.
4. A modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan according to claim 1, in which the Air Movement Module and electricity Generation Module can be placed on different parts of the heating appliance.
5. A modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan according to claim 4, in which each module can be attached to the heating appliance by neodymium magnets.
6. A modular heat-pipe Seebeck powered fan according to claim 4, in which the Air Movement Module and the Generating Module can be combined into one single module.