JPH08121898A - Thermoelectric converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an air conditioning thermoelectric converter which has excellent heat exchanging performance and in which easy cleaning can be executed. CONSTITUTION: A thermoelectric converter comprises a heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k provided via an insulating layer 2 at the heat absorbing side of a thermoelectric conversion element 1 made of a Peltier element, and a radiating heat exchanger 3h provided via the layer 2 at the radiating side, wherein the exchanger 3k or the exchanger 3h has a heating medium passage 5 for passing heating medium 4 to the air conditioning space side. Fins are provided at the passage 5. The medium 4 is air 4a, and an air outlet is provided at the passage 5. The passage 5 is formed in multi-stage. The exchanger 3k has the passage 5 for passing the medium 4 to the cooling air conditioning space side, and the exchanger 3h has the passage 5 for passing the medium 4 to the heating air conditioning space.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermoelectric conversion device for air conditioning, which comprises a thermoelectric conversion element utilizing the Peltier effect and a heat exchanger for absorbing and radiating heat from the thermoelectric conversion element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, various thermoelectric conversion devices having a thermoelectric conversion element and utilizing a heat pump effect have been proposed. As a main form of the heat exchanger of this thermoelectric conversion device, as shown in FIG. 5, fins are provided on the heat radiation side of the thermoelectric conversion element 10 for converting electricity and thermal energy by utilizing the Peltier effect, with the insulating layer 20 interposed therebetween. A heat-absorbing heat exchanger 30k having a heat-dissipating heat exchanger 30h having 60 and a heat-dissipating blower device 80h, and having a fin 60 on the heat-absorbing side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1 via an insulating layer 20 and a heat-absorbing blower. An air-cooled type with a device 80k is known. When the conventional thermoelectric conversion device as described above is used for air conditioning, the heat medium 40 does not sufficiently reach the fins 60 of the heat exchanger 30, and the heat medium 40 diffuses in the circumferential direction, resulting in a heavy load. However, there was a problem that it was difficult to use for air conditioning. Further, in order to cool and heat only the heat medium 40 of the gas 40a such as air, it is necessary to blow out the heat medium 40 having a temperature considerably lower than the set temperature of the air-conditioned space of the target air-conditioned room, The operation was extremely inefficient both economically and in terms of energy cost. In addition, since the structure of the fin 60 is complicated and exposed to the outside air, dirt and the like are likely to be attached, heat exchange performance is deteriorated, and cleaning of the fin 60 is extremely difficult.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a thermoelectric conversion device for air conditioning, which has good heat exchange performance and is easy to clean. It is in.

[0004]

A thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a thermoelectric conversion element 1 comprising a Peltier element.
In the thermoelectric conversion device, the heat absorption heat exchanger 3k is provided on the heat absorption side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1 via the insulating layer 2, and the heat dissipation heat exchanger 3h is provided on the heat radiation side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1 via the insulating layer 2. The heat exchanger for heat 3k or the heat exchanger for heat radiation 3h is provided with a heat medium passage 5 through which the heat medium 4 passes on the air-conditioned space side.

A thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 2 of the present invention comprises:
The heat medium passage 5 is provided with fins 6.

A thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 3 of the present invention is
The heat medium 4 is a gas 4a, and a gas outlet 7 is provided in the heat medium passage 5.

A thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 4 of the present invention comprises:
It is characterized in that the heat medium passage 5 is formed in multiple stages.

A thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 5 of the present invention comprises:
The heat exchanger 3k for absorbing heat has a heat medium 4 on the side of the air conditioning space for cooling.
Is provided, and the heat radiating heat exchanger 3h is provided with a heat medium passage 5 through which the heat medium 4 is passed on the air conditioning space side for heating.

[0009]

In the thermoelectric conversion device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k on the heat absorbing side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1 formed of a Peltier element for converting electricity and thermal energy by utilizing the Peltier effect, or Heat radiation heat exchanger 3h on the heat radiation side
However, since the heat medium passage 5 that allows the heat medium 4 to pass therethrough is provided on the air conditioning space side, cooling or heating the heat medium 4 cools or heats the surface of the heat exchanger that is in contact with the air conditioning chamber. Radiant cooling or heating from the surface of the exchanger cools or heats the air-conditioned room. Moreover, since the surface of the heat exchanger that is in contact with the air-conditioned room is basically flat, cleaning is easy even if it becomes dirty.

In the thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 2 of the present invention, since the heat medium passage 5 is provided with the fins 6,
The heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger is good.

In the thermoelectric conversion device according to claim 3 of the present invention, since the heat medium 4 is the gas 4a and the heat medium passage 5 is provided with the gas outlet 7, it is cooled or heated. The gas 4a blows out from the gas outlet 7 into the air-conditioned room.

In the thermoelectric conversion device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the heat medium passages 5 are configured in multiple stages, a plurality of different heat mediums such as a liquid such as water and a gas such as air are used. 4 can be used.

In the thermoelectric conversion device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k is provided with a heat medium passage 5 for passing the heat medium 4 on the air conditioning space side for cooling, and the heat exchanging heat exchange. Since the container 3h is provided with the heat medium passage 5 that allows the heat medium 4 to pass through on the side of the air conditioning space for heating, cooling of the air conditioning space for cooling and heating of the air conditioning space for heating can be performed simultaneously.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 shows a first thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.
An example will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a thermoelectric conversion element 1 used in a thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention has a copper electrode in which P-type semiconductor elements and N-type semiconductor elements are alternately arranged between two insulating layers 2 and 2. By applying a DC voltage to a Peltier element group electrically connected in series by electrodes 9 such as P-type, one insulating layer 2 is radiated by the so-called Peltier effect and the other insulating layer 2 is absorbed. It is a semiconductor element or an N-type semiconductor element. Therefore, the heat radiation side and the heat absorption side can be easily replaced by changing the method of applying the DC voltage, that is, the positive and negative polarities, and the heat radiation side and the heat absorption side can be switched. Here, the thermoelectric conversion element 1 may use any material as long as it exhibits the Peltier effect. The thermoelectric conversion device includes a heat dissipation heat exchanger 3h on the heat dissipation side of a thermoelectric conversion element 1 that converts electricity and heat energy using the Peltier effect, with an electrode 9 and an insulating layer 2 electrically insulated from the heat dissipation element 3h. ,
A heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k is provided on the heat absorbing side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1 via an insulating layer 2 electrically insulated from the electrode 9. The thermoelectric conversion element 1 is sandwiched by electrodes 9, 9 on the upper and lower surfaces, and the electrode 9 and the thermoelectric conversion element 1 are joined by soldering or other electrical and mechanical joining methods. I wish I had it. The heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k or the heat radiating heat exchanger 3h includes a heat medium passage 5 such as a duct or a pipe through which the heat medium 4 such as water or air passes. In FIG. 1, the heat radiating heat exchanger on the upper side is illustrated as an air-cooled type with a radiating fan 8h, but it is a water-cooled type or another type of heat exchanger using a heat pipe or the like. It may be any one as long as it can achieve the heat radiation effect.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k below the thermoelectric conversion element 1, for example, has a box structure having a plurality of rectangular heat medium passages 5 in cross section and its size. The size is not particularly specified, and is determined in consideration of strength, thermal efficiency, manufacturability, and the like. The heat medium 4 passing through the heat medium passage 5 is, for example, the gas 4 in the air conditioning room.
a, the gas 4a is passed through the heat medium passage 5 by the air blower to perform heat exchange. For example, in the case of cooling, the temperature of the heat medium 4 is lowered and then introduced into the air-conditioned room. It has a structure. Also, heat exchange may be performed using a heat medium 4 such as a liquid and a liquid feeding device. The lower end surface of the heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k, which is the surface far from the thermoelectric conversion element 1, that is, the surface on the air conditioning chamber side is, for example, a flat surface, and the heat medium passage 5
If the amount of heat exchanged with is adjusted appropriately, the surface temperature becomes lower than the temperature in the air-conditioned room. Therefore, a radiation cooling phenomenon occurs between the air in the air-conditioned room and the surface of the heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k on the air-conditioned room side. By using this radiative cooling phenomenon together with, for example, air conditioning using cooling air, air conditioning with higher comfort than the air conditioning system using only cooling air is provided.

FIG. 2 shows a second thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.
An example will be described. The thermoelectric conversion device shown in FIG. 2 has substantially the same shape as that shown in the first embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the fins 6 are arranged in the heat medium passage 5. Since the fins 6 are provided in the heat medium passage 5, the heat exchange performance is improved and the amount of heat exchange can be set arbitrarily, so that radiant cooling and air conditioning control by, for example, cooling air are performed. Can be easy.

FIG. 3 shows a third thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.
An example will be described. The thermoelectric conversion device shown in FIG. 3 has substantially the same shape as that shown in the second embodiment. The difference from the second embodiment is that the gas outlet 7 is arranged on the surface of the heat medium passage 5 on the air conditioning chamber side. This gas outlet 7 is
The cross section may be circular or quadrangular, and in the case of cooling, for example, in the case of cooling, any structure may be used as long as the heat medium 4 which is the gas 4a such as air cooled in the heat medium passage 5 blows out into the air-conditioned room. Further, the size of the gas outlet 7 is set to the heat medium passage 5
It is determined by many factors such as the amount of the heat medium 4 flowing through, the temperature of the heat medium 4, the outside air temperature, the temperature of the heat radiating heat exchanger 3h side, the air conditioning temperature, and the like, and does not have a certain fixed size. . By providing such a gas outlet 7, for example, the cooling air can be evenly blown out to the entire air-conditioning chamber, so that even air conditioning with only cooling air is more comfortable than conventional air-conditioning by local blowing.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.
An example will be described. The thermoelectric conversion device shown in FIG. 4 shows a case where the heat medium passages 5 of the heat absorption heat exchanger 3k are configured in multiple stages, and a two-stage structure is illustrated as a specific example. This heat medium passage 5 is for passing the heat medium 4 such as water or air, but since it is difficult to let the heat medium 4 other than the gas 4a pass through the heat medium passage 5 having the gas outlet 7, When using the heat medium 4 such as water in FIG.
By providing the multi-stage heat medium passage 5 as shown in FIG. 5, various heat exchange methods can be mixed and performed. The fins 6 may be provided in all of the multistage heat medium passages 5, or the fins 6 may be provided in only a part of the heat medium passages 5. This greatly facilitates the design of heat exchange and expands the application range of the thermoelectric conversion device.

The heat absorbing heat exchanger 3k is provided with a heat medium passage 5 for passing the heat medium 4 on the cooling air conditioning space side, and the heat radiation heat exchanger 3h heats the heating air conditioning space side. Medium 4
The heat medium passage 5 may be provided for allowing the heat medium to pass therethrough. For example, when an air conditioning room for cooling and an air conditioning room for heating such as aging are required in the manufacturing process of molding materials such as electronic materials, one thermoelectric conversion device can cool the air conditioning space for cooling. It is possible to simultaneously heat the air-conditioned space for heating.

[0021]

According to the thermoelectric conversion device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the heat exchange for heat absorption on the heat absorption side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1 comprising a Peltier element for converting electricity and thermal energy by utilizing the Peltier effect. Since the heat exchanger 3h for heat dissipation or the heat exchanger 3h for heat radiation on the heat radiation side is provided with the heat medium passage 5 for passing the heat medium 4 on the air conditioning space side, the heat medium 4 is cooled or heated to come into contact with the air-conditioned room. The surface of the heat exchanger is cooled or heated, and the radiant cooling or heating from the surface of the heat exchanger cools or heats the air-conditioned room. Therefore, energy-saving and comfortable air conditioning can be performed. Moreover, since the surface of the heat exchanger that is in contact with the air-conditioned room is basically flat, cleaning is easy even if it becomes dirty.

According to the thermoelectric conversion device of the second aspect of the present invention, since the heat medium passage is provided with fins, the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger is good, and further, energy saving and a comfortable air conditioning are provided. You can

According to the thermoelectric conversion device of the third aspect of the present invention, since the heat medium is a gas such as air and the heat medium passage is provided with a gas outlet, it is cooled or heated. Since the gas blows out from the gas outlet into the air-conditioned room, the cooled or heated gas can be evenly blown out to the entire air-conditioned room, which further improves comfort.

According to the thermoelectric conversion device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the heat medium passages 5 are formed in multiple stages, a plurality of different heat sources such as a liquid such as water and a gas such as air are used. Since a medium can be used, the design of heat exchange becomes extremely easy, and the range of application of the thermoelectric conversion device is expanded.

According to the thermoelectric conversion device of claim 5 of the present invention, the heat-absorption heat exchanger 3k is provided with the heat-medium passage 5 for passing the heat medium 4 on the side of the air-conditioning space for cooling, and the heat-radiation heat exchanger 3k. Since the exchanger 3h includes the heat medium passage 5 that allows the heat medium 4 to pass through on the side of the air conditioning space for heating, one thermoelectric conversion device
It is possible to simultaneously cool the air-conditioned space for cooling and heat the air-conditioned space for heating.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of essential parts showing a first embodiment of a thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a second embodiment of the thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a third embodiment of the thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing a fourth embodiment of the thermoelectric conversion device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a thermoelectric conversion device according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thermoelectric Conversion Element 2 Insulating Layer 3h Heat Dissipation Heat Exchanger 3k Endothermic Heat Exchanger 4 Heat Medium 4a Gas 5 Heat Medium Passage 6 Fin 7 Gas Outlet

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A heat exchanger for heat absorption (3k) is provided on the heat absorption side of a thermoelectric conversion element (1) composed of a Peltier element via an insulating layer (2), and the heat radiation side of the thermoelectric conversion element (1) is insulated. In the thermoelectric conversion device provided with the heat radiating heat exchanger (3h) through the layer (2), the heat absorbing heat exchanger (3k) or the heat radiating heat exchanger (3h) is a heat medium (4) on the side of the conditioned space. ) Is provided with a heat medium passage (5). 2. The thermoelectric conversion device for air conditioning according to claim 1, wherein the heat medium passage (5) is provided with fins (6). 3. The heat medium (4) is a gas (4a),
The heat medium passage (5) is provided with a gas outlet (7).
The thermoelectric conversion device for air conditioning described. 4. The thermoelectric conversion device for air conditioning according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat medium passages (5) are configured in multiple stages. 5. The heat absorbing heat exchanger (3k) is provided with a heat medium passage (5) for passing the heat medium (4) on the air conditioning space side for cooling, and the heat radiating heat exchanger (3h) is The thermoelectric conversion device for air conditioning according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a heat medium passage (5) for allowing the heat medium (4) to pass through on the side of the air conditioning space for heating.