JP3089826B2 - Heat absorption device of thermoelectric conversion element - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat absorbing device for a thermoelectric conversion element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art relating to the present invention, for example, there is an "electronic dehumidifier" disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 60-73035. This conventional technique will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The inside of a housing 71 is divided into two by a partition wall 72, one of which is a heat absorption chamber 73 and the other is a heat radiation chamber 74. The partition wall 72 is provided with a thermoelectric conversion element (Peltier element) 75 in which a heat absorbing surface 75a is exposed to the heat absorbing chamber 73 and a heat radiating surface 75b is exposed to the heat radiating chamber 74. Heat absorbing fins 76 are fixed to the heat absorbing surface 75a by bonding or the like.
Similarly, the heat dissipating fins 77 are fixed to the heat dissipating surface 75b by bonding or the like. The heat absorbing chamber 73 has an inlet pipe 78.
However, an outlet pipe 79 is provided in each of the heat radiating chambers 74, and the heat absorbing chamber 73 and the heat radiating chamber 74 communicate with each other via a fan 80. Reference numeral 81 indicates a drain hole.

In the electronic dehumidifier having such a configuration, when a current flows through the thermoelectric conversion element 75, a heat absorbing action is generated on the heat absorbing face 75a and a heat generating action is generated on the heat radiating face 75b. Therefore, the air sucked from the inlet pipe 78 by the fan 80 is cooled through the heat absorbing fins 76 cooled by the heat absorbing surface 75a in the heat absorbing chamber 73, and dehumidified by condensation of moisture in the air due to the cooling. The condensed water is discharged to the outside through the drain hole 81. Then, the dehumidified air cools the radiating fins 77 heated by the heat generation of the radiating surface 75b, and is discharged from the outlet pipe 79 to the outside.

[0004]

However, fins made of metal (copper, aluminum, etc.) having high thermal conductivity, such as heat absorbing fins 76 and heat radiating fins 77, have high thermal conductivity. It's a problem, and sometimes not enough.
For example, considering the heat absorbing fins 76, the heat absorbing fins 7
The vicinity of the mounting portion 6 (left side in the figure) is very well cooled by the heat absorbing surface 75a, but is not cooled much near the tip of the fin (right side in the figure) due to insufficient heat conductivity. Accordingly, of the air flowing through the heat absorbing chamber 73, the heat absorbing fins 76
Although the dehumidifying efficiency of the air flowing near the mounting portion becomes high, the dehumidifying efficiency of the air flowing near the tip of the fin becomes low, so that there is a problem that the dehumidifying efficiency of the air as a whole cannot be improved.

Further, the temperature of the heat absorbing fin 76 is controlled by the heat absorbing surface 75.
a is lower than the vicinity of the fin tip, so that the heat absorbing surface 75
There is a disadvantage that the temperature difference from the element a is small and the heat absorption efficiency of the thermoelectric conversion element 75 itself cannot be improved.

Accordingly, in the present invention, it is a technical object of the present invention to improve the heat absorbing efficiency of a heat absorbing device for a thermoelectric conversion element.

[0007]

Configuration of the Invention

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The technical means of the present invention taken to solve the above-mentioned technical problem of the present invention is a thermoelectric conversion element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat radiating surface, a heat absorbing surface having at least an upper wall surface. And a plurality of tubes communicating with the refrigerant tank and extending downward therefrom, and fins fixed between the plurality of tubes to form a heat absorbing device of the thermoelectric conversion element, and the inside of the refrigerant tank Is that the liquid refrigerant is in direct contact with the entire heat absorbing surface.

[0009]

According to the technical means of the present invention described above, the liquid refrigerant having a higher specific gravity on the heat absorbing surface moves downward of the tube, and near the heat absorbing surface is constantly contacted with a higher temperature refrigerant to be cooled. You.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the technical means of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, a thermoelectric conversion element 11 is configured by connecting a P-type semiconductor 12 and an N-type semiconductor 13 in series using electrodes 15 formed on two substrates 14. Here, the substrate 14 on the upper side of the figure serves as a heat dissipation surface 16.
The substrate 14 on the lower side in the figure functions as the heat absorbing surface 17. Further, the P-type semiconductor 12 and the N-type semiconductor 13 are formed of, for example, a bismuth telluride-based semiconductor, and the substrate 14 is formed of, for example, a ceramic mixed with alumina or the like.
The electrode 15 is formed of a material having excellent heat conductivity and electric conductivity, such as copper.

A heat radiating device 18 is engaged with the heat radiating surface 16, but the configuration thereof is not particularly limited.

On the other hand, a heat absorbing device 19 is engaged with the heat absorbing surface 17. That is, the heat absorbing surface 17 directly forms the upper wall surface of the refrigerant tank 20. However, in this embodiment, the side wall surface of the refrigerant tank 20 is also integrally formed by the substrate 14 forming the heat absorbing surface 17.

The lower wall surface of the lower tank 2, which is fixed in a liquid-tight manner via the substrate 14 and the O-ring 21, is formed on the lower wall surface of the refrigerant tank 20.
2. Further, a plurality of tubes 23 are provided on the lower plate 22 so as to extend downward, and the tubes 23 communicate with the refrigerant tank 20. The lower end of the tube 23 is closed by a stopper plate 24 in a liquid-tight manner. Corrugated fins 25 are fixed between the plurality of tubes 23.

Liquid refrigerant is injected into the tube 23 and the refrigerant tank 20, and the heat absorbing surface 17 has an amount sufficient to come into contact with the refrigerant. Heat absorbing surface 1
The refrigerant tank 20 is connected to an air vent tube 26 so that the refrigerant 7 and the refrigerant must be in direct contact with each other, and there is no air or the like between them. This air vent pipe 2
The refrigerant surface in 6 is located above the heat absorbing surface 17.

The operation of the thermoelectric conversion element heat absorbing device 10 having the above configuration will be described.

When a current is applied to the thermoelectric conversion element 11 in the direction shown in the figure, the heat radiating surface 16 is heated by the heat generating action, and the heat absorbing surface 1 is heated.
7 is cooled by an endothermic effect.

The portion of the refrigerant in the refrigerant tank 20 that is in contact with the heat absorbing surface 17 is particularly cooled by the cooled heat absorbing surface 17, and the cooled refrigerant having a higher specific gravity is supplied to the tube below the refrigerant tank 20. Move to 23. Then, heat is absorbed from the corrugated fins 25 to cool the corrugated fins 25, and the air flowing through the corrugated fins 25 is cooled by a fan (not shown). As a result, the refrigerant absorbs heat and rises in temperature.
To move up. As described above, since the convection of the refrigerant is generated in the refrigerant tank 20, the cooled low-temperature refrigerant moves to the tube 23, and the refrigerant does not excessively cool on the heat absorbing surface 17, but is cooled on the heat absorbing surface 17. This means that the relatively high temperature refrigerant to be contacted is always in contact.

The entire heat absorbing device 19 is contracted by being cooled by the heat absorbing surface 17, but the refrigerant pressure is always released to the atmospheric pressure by the air vent tube 26, so that an abnormal increase or decrease in the refrigerant pressure occurs. do not do.

The air cooled by the heat absorbing device 19 of this embodiment can be used for, for example, indoor air conditioning, and can be used as the above-mentioned conventional dehumidifying device.

[0021]

As described above, in the heat absorbing device for a thermoelectric conversion element according to the present invention, the refrigerant cooled on the heat absorbing surface and having a higher specific gravity moves downward of the tube, so that the entire heat absorbing surface must always be cooled. Refrigerant is cooled, excessive cooling of the refrigerant does not occur, and the temperature difference between the heat absorbing surface and the refrigerant is always large, so that the heat absorption generated by the thermoelectric conversion element can be effectively used for cooling the refrigerant. it can.

In the prior art described above, the amount of heat conduction in the fin is relatively small, only the vicinity of the fin mounting portion in contact with the heat absorbing surface is excessively cooled, and the temperature difference between the heat absorbing surface and the refrigerant is always small. Therefore, the amount of heat absorbed by the thermoelectric conversion element cannot be used effectively.

Further, since the heat absorbing surface and the refrigerant are in direct contact with each other, there is no thermal resistance between them, and the heat exchange efficiency is extremely excellent. Since the refrigerant surface in the air vent pipe connected to the refrigerant tank is above the heat absorbing surface, direct contact between the heat absorbing surface and the refrigerant can be reliably ensured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a heat absorbing device of a thermoelectric conversion element according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a conventional electronic dehumidifier.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 heat absorbing device, 11 thermoelectric conversion element, 16 heat dissipation surface, 17 heat absorption surface, 20 refrigerant tank, 23 tube, 25 fin, 26 air vent hole,

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A thermoelectric conversion element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat radiating surface; a refrigerant tank having the heat absorbing surface forming at least an upper wall surface; and a plurality of tubes communicating with the refrigerant tank and extending downward. A fin fixed between the plurality of tubes, wherein the liquid refrigerant in the refrigerant tank is in direct contact with the entire heat absorbing surface. 2. The heat absorbing device for a thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 1, wherein an air vent tube is connected to the refrigerant tank, and a refrigerant surface in the air vent tube is higher than the heat absorbing surface.