JPH07326696A - Thermoelectric cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To absorb the heat from heat generating parts which locally generate heat so as to stabilize the physical properties of the parts by enveloping the parts with a enveloping member. CONSTITUTION:An enveloping member 2 composed of a metallic capsule or cylindrical body envelops heat generating parts 1. When an electric current from a DC power source 7 is made to flow to a P-type thermoelectric semiconductor chip 4 from an N-type thermoelectric semiconductor chip 3, the side wall of the member 2 is cooled through its joint surfaces with the chips 3 and 4. By using the side wall of the member 2 as a cold heat source, the heat from the parts 1 near the side wall is absorbed. Electrode members 5 and 6 which are respectively provided to the chips 3 and 4 are designed to also act as heat sinks by making their surface areas larger so that the heat from the electrodes 5 and 6 can be effectively radiated. Therefore, the physical properties of the parts 1 can be stabilized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermoelectric cooling device for converting electric energy into heat energy (Peltier effect) by using N-type and P-type thermoelectric semiconductor pairs, and more particularly to a continuous type such as a semiconductor laser. The present invention also relates to a thermoelectric cooling device that absorbs heat from a heat source component that operates at a high duty ratio.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, among electronic components used in computers and the like, the electronic components themselves generate heat, so that the functions of the electronic components themselves are deteriorated or the components around the electronic components are bad. It has an impact.

Therefore, in order to dissipate the heat of the electronic component, it is necessary to dissipate the heat of the electronic component.
We deal with this by mounting a local cooling device like a semiconductor laser device. When a semiconductor laser element is adopted, the amount of heat generated is about 0.5 W, and a small thermoelectric cooling device is used to cool it.

It goes without saying that the local cooling method is the most efficient as the thermionic cooling method for the locally generated heat. Taking a laser device as an example, a π-shaped cooling element is attached to one surface of a mount for fixing the laser element, and heat generated from the laser element is sucked.

In this thermoelectric cooling type cooling system, as a thermoelectric material for converting between heat and electricity,
Materials exhibiting excellent thermoelectron cooling characteristics such as (Bi, Sb) ₂ (Te, Se) ₃ based semiconductor compounds are used.
As this type of (Bi, Sb) ₂ (Te, Se) ₃ based semiconductor compound material, a sintered body or a fused material thereof is used.

The thermoelectric cooling type cooling system includes a single thermoelectric conversion element or a thermoelectric conversion module formed by combining a plurality of thermoelectric conversion elements as main components. Here, the thermoelectric conversion element is an element utilizing the Seebeck effect or the Peltier effect.

As is well known, the Peltier effect is that when an electric current is applied from the outside in the direction in which the thermal current flows, heat is absorbed at the high temperature contact point and heat is generated at the low temperature contact point. A phenomenon that occurs (that is, a phenomenon in which electrical energy is converted into thermal energy). Thermoelectric cooling utilizes this Peltier effect.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of a heat dissipation structure of an electronic device to which a conventional π-shaped thermoelectric conversion module is attached. The illustrated thermoelectric conversion module 30 has a chip layer 31 in which a plurality of N-type and P-type semiconductor element material chips 31n and 31p are arranged on a plane.

More specifically, the illustrated chip layer 31 includes a plurality of N-type semiconductor element material chips 31n and a plurality of P layers.
Type semiconductor element material chip 31p. However, 4
Two of the corners are used as a pair of electrodes for supplying electric power to the outside or for supplying a direct current from the outside with a direct current power supply 33. In the thermoelectric conversion module 30, a heat dissipation plate 34 is attached on one side, and a heat source component (electronic component) 36 is provided on the other side via a mount 35.

The N-type semiconductor element material chip 31n and the P-type semiconductor element material chip 31p constitute one thermocouple (thermoelectric conversion element). As is clear from FIG. 4, each thermocouple (thermoelectric conversion element) has a π-shaped structure. Therefore, the illustrated thermoelectric conversion module 30 is composed of a plurality of thermocouples (thermoelectric conversion elements) each having a π-shaped structure as a basic structure.

[0011]

However, the conventional π-shaped thermoelectric conversion module 30 structurally has the following drawbacks. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the heat dissipation plate 34 having a large surface area is required in the lower part. A large space is required for the intended cooling.

The upper surface of the heat source component 36, that is,
The cooling effect is reduced because a considerable amount of heat is dissipated from the surfaces that are not in contact with the cooling element. Therefore, there is a problem that the lower cooling element alone cannot absorb the heat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric cooling device which surrounds the periphery of a heat source component to absorb the heat of the heat source member.

[0014]

According to the present invention, an enclosing member for covering a heat source component, an N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip and a P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip provided on the enclosing member, and the N
A thermoelectric cooling device is provided, which has an electrode member provided in a one-to-one relationship with each of the type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip and the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip.

Further, according to the present invention, the surrounding member is
A thermoelectric cooling device is obtained which is a metal capsule or a metal cylinder.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a thermoelectric cooling device in which a heat insulating material is applied to the outer surface of the surrounding member.

Further, according to the present invention, there can be obtained a thermoelectric cooling device in which the inner surface of the surrounding member and the heat source component are joined by an adhesive having thermal conductivity and insulation.

Further, according to the present invention, the electrode member is
A thermoelectric cooling device is obtained which is a plate-shaped heat dissipation member.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a thermoelectric cooling device characterized in that the N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip and the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip are plate-shaped chips made of a fired material, a fused material or a composite material. can get.

[0020]

The heat of the heat source component is efficiently absorbed by surrounding a very narrow space near the heat source component that locally generates heat, and the heat is radiated in a wider space.

[0021]

Embodiments of the thermoelectric cooling device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show the schematic construction of a thermoelectric cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The thermoelectric cooling device includes an enclosing member (metal capsule) 2 that covers the heat source component 1,
N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 3 provided on the surrounding member 2
And the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4, and the N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 3 and the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4 are provided with electrode members 5 and 6 provided in a one-to-one relationship.

The surrounding member 2 surrounds the heat source component 1. Each of the electrode members 5 and 6 is a plate-shaped heat dissipation member, and the electrode members 5 and 6 themselves also serve as a heat dissipation member having a heat dissipation effect. The heat source component 1 is placed inside the surrounding member 2. When a current is passed from the N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 3 to the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4 by the DC power supply 7, the side wall of the enclosing member 2 has a joint surface with the N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 3 and the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4. Is cooled through. This is used as a cold heat source to absorb the heat of the heat source component 1 in the vicinity thereof. The electrode members 5 and 6 have a large surface area and also serve as a heat radiating plate, thereby enhancing the efficiency of radiating the generated heat.

By applying a heat insulating film to the outer wall of the surrounding member 2, the heat absorbing effect can be enhanced. The heat source component 1 has its function stably operated by fixing an adhesive having good thermal conductivity to the mount 8.

Further, the N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chips 3 and P
The type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4 is a plate-shaped chip made of a fired material, a fused material, or a composite material.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the enclosing member 9 has a tubular structure and is a heat source component 1 by a thermoelectric cooling device.
An outline of the heat dissipation structure of is shown. The same members as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and will be described below.

The thermoelectric cooling device includes an enclosing member 9 (metal cylinder) that covers the heat source component 1, and an N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 3 and a P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4 provided on the enclosing member 9. , N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 3 and P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4 have electrode members 5 and 6 provided in a one-to-one relationship. The surrounding member 2 surrounds the heat source component 1. The electrode members 5 and 6 connected to the DC power source 7 are plate-shaped heat dissipation members, and the electrode members 5 and 6 also serve as heat dissipation members. The heat source component 1 is provided in the cylinder of the enclosing member 2, and the heat source component 1 is fixed by the fixed lead members 10 that enter the inside of the enclosing member 2 through both openings.

In the case of this structure as well, the principle is the same as the heat radiation structure by thermoelectron cooling having the metal capsule structure (enclosing member 2) described above, and the heat radiation according to the heat quantity of the heat source component 1 is performed. The function can be controlled.

Further, as a heat transfer function between the surrounding member 2 and the heat source component 1, the space between them is filled with an insulating and good heat conductive material regardless of air convection and radiation, and heat is dissipated by heat conduction. It is also possible to

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the surrounding member of the thermoelectric cooling device surrounds the heat-generating component that locally generates heat to absorb the heat of the heat-generating component, and It is possible to stabilize the physical characteristics of the heat source component.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of a thermoelectric cooling device of the present invention, and is a plan sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the thermoelectric cooling device.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the thermoelectric cooling device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a thermoelectric cooling device, which is a second embodiment of the thermoelectric cooling device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an electronic device to which a conventional π-shaped thermoelectric cooling module is attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,36 Heat source component 2,9 Enclosing member (capsule or cylinder) 3 N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 4 P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip 5,6 Electrode member 7,33 DC power supply 8,35 Mounting base 10 Lead member 30 Thermoelectric conversion module 31n N-type semiconductor element material chip 31p P-type semiconductor element material chip 34 Heat sink

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tanji Kojinori 7-1, Koriyama, Taichiro-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi Tokin Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ken Masumoto 3--8, Uesugi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi No. 22 (72) Inventor Yasuaki Nakagawa 4-8-6, Hachiman, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi Prefecture (72) Inventor Takejiro Kaneko 3-13-8, Asahigaoka, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi (72) Inventor Risaburo Sato Miyagi 3-7-15 Hachiman, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Japan (72) Minor Kubogi 4-6-3 Kamo, Izumi-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A surrounding member covering a heat source component, an N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip and a P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip provided on the surrounding member, and an N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip and a P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip. A thermoelectric cooling device having an electrode member provided in a one-to-one relationship with each of the. 2. The thermoelectric cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the surrounding member is a metal capsule or a metal cylinder. 3. The thermoelectric cooling device according to claim 1, wherein a heat insulating material is applied to the outer surface of the surrounding member. 4. The thermoelectric cooling device according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the surrounding member and the heat source component are joined by an adhesive having thermal conductivity and insulation. 5. The thermoelectric cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode member is a heat dissipation plate. 6. The thermoelectric cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the N-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip and the P-type semiconductor thermoelectric material chip are plate-shaped chips made of a fired material, a fusion material, or a composite material.