JPH0942801A - Cooling panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove water droplets generated by dew formation at a cooling panel provided with a thermo-electrical element. SOLUTION: A cooling panel 1 is comprised of an N-type semiconductor 2a, a P-type semiconductor 2b, a metallic plate electrode 3, an electrical insulator 5, a thermal conductor 6 and a thermal insulating member 7. A hydrophobic film 8 is fixed to a cooling side (a heat absorbing) side of the panel 1. It is possible to remove water droplets formed as dew at a cooling surface due to water repelling characteristic of the hydrophobic film 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling panel having a thermoelectric element for converting electric energy into heat energy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The prior art is, for example, the radiant cooling and heating system described in "Thermoelectric element and its application" p.83-85 by T. Nishida and K. Uemura. This is configured such that a thermoelectric element that generates cold heat by the Peltier effect is attached to the panel, and cooling and heating are performed from the surface of the panel by absorbing and releasing heat from the thermoelectric element.

[0003]

In the panel used in the conventional radiant cooling and heating apparatus, in the case of radiative cooling, water droplets may be generated on the cooling surface of the panel due to dew condensation and the surroundings may be contaminated by the water droplets. Therefore, the lower limit of the panel temperature is determined by the dew point, and there is a problem that the cooling effect cannot be sufficiently exhibited.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling panel having a cooling surface for removing water drops attached to the cooling surface of the panel and removing the water drops generated by dew condensation.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a thermoelectric element electrically connected by an electrode and an electrical insulator on either or both of the high temperature side and the low temperature side of the thermoelectric element. In the cooling panel configured with the attached plate material, one that removes water droplets is attached to the cooling side surface of the panel.

The problem can be solved by attaching a hydrophobic film to the cooling side surface of the panel. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of inclined grooves in the hydrophobic film, it becomes easy to remove the condensed water droplets. This water droplet can be moved along the groove and evaporated on the heat dissipation surface to be removed.

The problem can be solved by attaching a polymer absorber having an affinity for water to the cooling side surface of the panel and absorbing the condensed water droplets with the polymer absorber. On the contrary, the polymer absorber can be regenerated by passing an electric current and evaporating the absorbed water.

[0008]

Function: Non-hydrophobic materials absorb water when water adheres to the surface, but hydrophobic materials generate water because of their large contact angle with water. For this reason, by attaching a hydrophobic film to the surface of the panel on the cooling side, the condensed water droplets propagate along the surface of the hydrophobic film and fall due to gravity. As a result, the condensed water droplets can be removed.

Further, by providing a plurality of slanted grooves in the hydrophobic film, the condensed water drops are more likely to drop. By providing this groove not only on the hydrophobic film but also on the side surface of the cooling panel and on the heat dissipation surface, it is possible to move the water droplets along the groove and evaporate and remove it on the heat dissipation surface.

Further, by attaching a polymer absorber having an affinity for water to the cooling side surface of the panel, the condensed water drops are absorbed by the polymer absorber.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention. In the cooling panel 1, a plurality of N-type semiconductors 2a and P-type semiconductors 2b, which are thermoelectric elements, are alternately arranged, and these are sandwiched between the metal plate electrodes 3 and 3 and solder-welded. The metal plate electrodes 3 are arranged such that when a terminal 4 is provided in the terminal 4 and a current is passed between the terminals 4, the current alternately flows through the N-type semiconductor 2a and the P-type semiconductor 2b. N of the metal plate electrode 3
An electrical insulator 5 is attached to the other end not in contact with the type semiconductor 2a and the P-type semiconductor 2b, and a good thermal conductor 6 is further provided. Between the N-type semiconductor 2a and the P-type semiconductor 2b,
The heat insulating material 7 is filled. The hydrophobic film 8 is attached to the good thermal conductor 6 on the cooling (heat absorbing) side of the panel 1. This hydrophobic film 8
Is a polymer material such as Teflon or silicon. As a result, even if the temperature of the cooling surface of the panel 1 drops below the dew point and water drops adhere during the operation of the cooling panel provided with the thermoelectric element, the hydrophobic film 8 causes water to drop and the water drops to drop. The dropped water drops are received by the gutter 9 installed at the lower part of the cooling panel 1. Therefore, the water droplets condensed on the cooling surface of the cooling panel 1 can be removed.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention. This is because the grooves 10, 11 are formed in the hydrophobic film 8 in FIG.
Is provided to make it easier for water drops that have condensed to fall.
A plurality of grooves 11 perpendicular to the ground and a plurality of grooves 10 inclined on the entire surface are provided at one end of the hydrophobic film 8, and condensed water droplets are dropped along the grooves 10, 11. The dropped water drops are received and removed by the gutter 9 installed in the lower part of the cooling panel 1.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention. This is to remove water by condensing water droplets condensed on the hydrophobic film 8 in FIG. 1 to the heat radiation surface of the panel 1 and evaporating them. Hydrophobic film 8, side surface 12 of panel 1, and heat dissipation surface 1
A plurality of grooves 10 inclined to 3 are provided. Water droplets condensed on the hydrophobic film 8 are moved along the groove 10 to the hydrophobic film 8, the side surface 12 of the panel 1 and the heat dissipation surface 13. This water drop is the heat dissipation surface 13
It is heated by and evaporates. FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the polymer absorbent 14 having water and hydrophilicity is attached instead of the hydrophobic film 8 in FIG. 1, so that the condensed water droplets are absorbed by the polymer absorbent 14. When the polymer absorber 14 becomes saturated, conversely, an electric current is applied to make the cooling surface a heat radiation surface to evaporate the water absorbed in the polymer absorber 14. Therefore, the polymer absorber 14 can be used any number of times.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cooling panel comprising a thermoelectric element electrically connected by an electrode and a plate member mounted on one or both of a high temperature side and a low temperature side of the thermoelectric element via an electric insulator. It is possible to remove water droplets generated by dew condensation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a cooling panel of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the cooling panel of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Cooling panel, 2a ... N-type semiconductor, 2b ... P-type semiconductor, 3 ... Metal plate electrode, 4 ... Terminal, 5 ... Electrical insulator, 6 ...
Good thermal conductor, 7 ... Insulating material, 8 ... Hydrophobic film, 9 ... Gutter.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cooling panel comprising a thermoelectric element electrically connected by an electrode and a plate member mounted on one or both of a high temperature side and a low temperature side of the thermoelectric element via an electrical insulator, wherein the cooling panel A cooling panel having a cooling surface for removing water drops. 2. The cooling panel according to claim 1, wherein a hydrophobic film is provided on a cooling surface of the cooling panel. 3. The cooling panel according to claim 2, wherein the hydrophobic film has a plurality of inclined grooves. 4. The cooling panel according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of inclined grooves are provided on the hydrophobic film, the side surface of the cooling panel, and the heat radiation surface, and water is evaporated on the heat radiation surface. 5. The cooling panel according to claim 1, wherein the cooling surface of the cooling panel is provided with a polymer absorber having an affinity for water. 6. The cooling panel according to claim 5, which reversely applies an electric current to regenerate the polymer absorber.