KR102247062B1 - Cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

The cooling element according to an embodiment of the present invention stores a refrigerant therein, a refrigerant storage unit having a valve structure formed thereon, a heat dissipation structure having a flow path formed therein, and a surface of the heat dissipation structure. A radiating part including a radiating fin extending from; A connection part disposed between the refrigerant storage part and the heat dissipation part, and connecting the inside of the refrigerant storage part and the flow path of the heat dissipation part; And a housing disposed so as to surround the refrigerant storage unit, the heat dissipation unit, and the connection unit to seal the refrigerant storage unit, the heat dissipation unit, and the connection unit, wherein the valve structure is temperature-responsive in which a volume changes according to a temperature change. It may contain substances.

Description

Cooling element {COOLING DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a cooling element, and more particularly, to a closed type cooling element.

Existing cooling elements can be classified into an active type and a passive type depending on whether or not they can cool below the temperature of the heating part. In the active type, a device that uses the phase change of the refrigerant and a Peltier device are typical, and in the passive type, a water-cooled device that forcibly circulates low-temperature water at the boundary of a heat source, a device that increases convective heat transfer by rotating a fan, and a heat that increases the heat transfer area. There may be a sink or a heat pipe that transfers heat to the outside. Most of the above devices are driven by external power in the case. A heat sink or heat pipe can operate without an external power source, but the ability to dissipate heat from the heating unit may decrease. Since the above-mentioned devices have their respective advantages and disadvantages, they are variously selected and used depending on the application.

In recent years, with the development of new technical fields such as IOT, there is an increasing demand for a cooling element that can be used without a power supply, is flexible, and has a very small size. However, existing cooling devices have not fully satisfied the above requirements. For example, when generating electricity using body heat-based thermoelectric elements, it is very important to maintain the temperature difference between both ends of the thermoelectric element. Although the temperature difference is not constant, it shows a characteristic that decreases with time. In addition, in terms of size and shape, the fin-type heat sink is limited in size, thickness, and flexibility in order to be applied to body-worn thermoelectric devices.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a closed type cooling element in which cooling efficiency can be actively controlled.

A cooling element according to embodiments of the present invention includes a refrigerant storage unit storing a refrigerant therein and having a valve structure formed thereon; A heat dissipation unit disposed on the refrigerant storage unit and including a heat dissipating structure having a flow path therein and a heat dissipating fin extending from a surface of the heat dissipating structure; A connection part disposed between the refrigerant storage part and the heat dissipation part, and connecting the inside of the refrigerant storage part and the flow path of the heat dissipation part; And a housing disposed so as to surround the refrigerant storage unit, the heat dissipation unit, and the connection unit to seal the refrigerant storage unit, the heat dissipation unit, and the connection unit, wherein the valve structure is temperature-responsive in which a volume changes according to a temperature change. It may contain substances.

According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide an active cooling element capable of performing temperature control by itself. According to embodiments of the present invention, while maximizing cooling performance by using latent heat of fluid, a cooling element that does not cause loss of fluid may be provided. According to embodiments of the present invention, a cooling element capable of active temperature control without an electronic control operation, no driving energy, and miniaturization may be provided.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cooling device according to embodiments of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view showing a refrigerant storage unit according to embodiments of the present invention.
3A and 3B are plan views illustrating an operation of a valve structure according to embodiments of the present invention.
4 and 5 are enlarged plan views illustrating a valve structure according to embodiments of the present invention, and correspond to portion A of FIG. 3A.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and a method of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in a variety of different forms. It is provided to completely inform the scope of the invention to the possessor, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals refer to the same constituent elements throughout the entire specification.

The terms used in the present specification are for describing exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form also includes the plural form unless specifically stated in the phrase. As used in the specification,'comprises' and/or'comprising' refers to the presence of one or more other elements, steps, actions and/or elements, and/or elements, steps, actions and/or elements mentioned. Or does not preclude additions.

Further, the embodiments described in the present specification will be described with reference to sectional views and/or plan views, which are ideal exemplary views of the present invention. In the drawings, thicknesses of films and regions are exaggerated for effective description of technical content. Accordingly, the shape of the exemplary diagram may be modified due to manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific form shown, but also include a change in form generated according to the manufacturing process. For example, the etched area shown at a right angle may be rounded or may have a shape having a predetermined curvature. Accordingly, the regions illustrated in the drawings have schematic properties, and the shapes of the regions illustrated in the drawings are for illustrating a specific shape of the region of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a cooling device according to embodiments of the present invention. 2 is a perspective view showing a refrigerant storage unit according to embodiments of the present invention. 3A and 3B are plan views illustrating an operation of a valve structure according to embodiments of the present invention.

1 to 3B, a cooling element according to embodiments of the present invention may include a refrigerant storage unit SP, a heat dissipation unit RP, and a connection unit CP. The refrigerant storage unit SP, the heat dissipation unit RP, and the connection unit CP may be sealed by a housing 400 surrounding them.

The refrigerant storage unit SP may be disposed under the cooling element. The refrigerant storage unit SP may have an inner space defined by the lower portion of the housing 400 and the valve structure 150. The refrigerant 130 may be stored in the internal space of the refrigerant storage unit SP. The refrigerant 130 may be evaporated by absorbing heat from an external heat source. The refrigerant 130 may be water, for example.

The valve structure 150 may be formed on the refrigerant storage unit SP. The valve structure 150 may have a plurality of openings (O). The valve structure 150 may adjust the evaporation amount of the refrigerant 130 in the internal space of the refrigerant storage unit SP by actively adjusting the size of the openings O.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the valve structure 150 may include a support plate 110 and a temperature responsive structure 120 supported by the support plate 110. The valve structure 150 may include a plurality of openings O vertically penetrating the support plate 110 and the temperature responsive structure 120. The volume of the temperature-responsive structure 120 may be adjusted by absorbing or releasing a refrigerant according to temperature. The size of the openings O may be adjusted according to the volume change of the temperature responsive structure 120.

The support plate 110 may include a lower support plate 114 and an upper support plate 112. The lower support plate 114 and the upper support plate 112 may support the lower and upper surfaces of the temperature responsive structure 120, respectively. The support plate 110 may include, for example, a material having high rigidity. When the support plate 110 is bent along with a change in the volume of the temperature-responsive structure 120, the amount of change in the size of the openings O may be small. As the support plate 110 includes a material having high rigidity, the amount of change in size of the openings O according to temperature change may be increased.

The temperature responsive structure 120 may include a temperature responsive material whose volume changes according to temperature change. The temperature responsive material may be a temperature responsive polymer. The temperature-reactive material may include a hydrogel. The temperature-reactive polymer may include, for example, PNIPAm (Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)). Alternatively, the temperature-reactive polymer may include hydroxypropylcellulose, poly(N-vinyllactam), polyvinyl methyl ether, or a mixture thereof.

More specifically, the temperature responsive structure 120 may include an opening adjustment part 122 and an extension part 124. The opening adjustment part 122 may be disposed between the upper support plate 112 and the lower support plate 114. The extension part 124 may pass through the lower support plate 114 from the opening adjustment part 122 and extend into the inside of the refrigerant storage part SP.

The volume of the temperature-responsive structure 120 may change according to a temperature change. For example, the surface energy of the temperature-responsive structure 120 is changed according to a temperature change, so that it may selectively have hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity. For example, the temperature-responsive structure 120 may have hydrophobicity above a critical temperature, and may have hydrophilicity below the critical temperature. When the temperature-responsive structure 120 has hydrophilicity, the extension 124 immersed in the refrigerant 130 may absorb the refrigerant 130. As a result, the amount of the refrigerant 130 contained in the temperature-responsive structure 120 may be increased, so that the total volume of the temperature-responsive structure 120 may be increased. As the volume of the temperature responsive structure 120 increases, as shown in FIG. 3B, the size of the openings O may decrease. On the other hand, when the temperature responsive structure 120 has hydrophobicity, the amount of the refrigerant 130 contained in the valve structure 150 may be reduced, so that the total volume of the valve structure 150 may be reduced. As the volume of the temperature responsive structure 120 decreases, as shown in FIG. 3A, the size of the openings O may increase.

The amount of evaporation of the refrigerant 130 may be actively adjusted according to the volume change of the temperature responsive structure 120. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, as the size of the openings O increases, the area in which the refrigerant 130 is exposed to the outside of the refrigerant storage unit SP may increase, and the evaporation amount of the refrigerant 130 This can increase. As the evaporation amount of the refrigerant 130 increases, the cooling function of the cooling element may be promoted by the latent heat of evaporation.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the temperature of the temperature-responsive structure 120 is lower than the critical temperature, the size of the openings O decreases, and the area in which the refrigerant 130 is exposed to the outside of the refrigerant storage unit SP Can be reduced. In addition, the refrigerant 130 absorbed by the temperature responsive structure 120 may have a smaller evaporation amount than the refrigerant 130 in the refrigerant storage unit SP. Accordingly, the evaporation amount of the refrigerant 130 may be reduced, and a cooling function of the cooling element may be suppressed.

Since the temperature of the refrigerant 130 and the amount of evaporation of the refrigerant 130 are in a negative feedback relationship based on the critical temperature, the cooling element may play a role of maintaining a constant temperature. Accordingly, an active temperature control is possible without an electronic control operation, a cooling element that does not require driving energy and can be miniaturized can be provided.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the heat dissipation unit RP may be disposed on the refrigerant storage unit SP. The radiating part RP may include a radiating structure 310 and a radiating fin 320 extending from the surface of the radiating structure 310. The heat dissipation unit RP may absorb heat from the evaporated refrigerant 130 to liquefy the evaporated refrigerant 130.

The heat dissipation structure 310 may have a shape of a hollow cone or a hollow polygonal pyramid. The heat dissipation structure 310 may have, for example, a hollow triangular pyramid shape. The heat dissipation structure 310 may include a first fluid path 312 formed therein. The refrigerant 130 evaporated in the inner space of the refrigerant storage unit SP may pass through the connection unit CP and flow into the first flow path 312 of the heat dissipation structure 310. The refrigerant 130 introduced into the first flow path 312 may transfer heat to the heat dissipation structure 310 and be liquefied. The heat dissipation structure 310 may include a material having high thermal conductivity. The heat dissipation structure 310 may include metal or silicon. For example, when the refrigerant 130 is water, the heat dissipation structure 310 may include stainless steel in consideration of surface oxidation. As the heat dissipation structure 310 includes a material having high thermal conductivity, liquefaction of the evaporated refrigerant 130 may be promoted. The liquefied refrigerant 130 may flow toward the refrigerant storage unit SP along the surface of the first flow path 312 of the heat dissipation structure 310 by capillary force and/or gravity.

The radiating fins 320 may extend from the radiating structure 310. The heat dissipation fin 320 may improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation part RP by increasing the surface area of the heat dissipation part RP. The radiating fins 320 may include a material having high thermal conductivity. For example, the heat dissipation fin 320 may include the same material as the heat dissipation structure 310. The radiating fins 320 may connect adjacent radiating structures 310 to each other. As a result, heat exchange between the heat dissipation structures 310 may occur actively, and heat dissipation efficiency may be improved. The radiating fins 320 may connect the radiating structure 310 and the housing 400. Thereby, the surface area of the structure involved in heat dissipation can be further increased.

The connection part CP may be disposed between the heat dissipation part RP and the refrigerant storage part SP. The connection part CP may provide a moving path of the refrigerant 130 between the heat dissipation part RP and the refrigerant storage part SP. The connection part CP may include a first flow path 312 of the heat dissipation part RP and a second flow path 212 connecting the inner space of the refrigerant storage part SP. The second flow path 212 may be defined by inner surfaces of the connection part CP. The second flow path 212 may have a conical shape or a polygonal pyramid shape. The second flow path 212 may have, for example, a triangular pyramid shape. The connection part CP may include a material having low thermal conductivity. As the connection part CP has a low thermal conductivity, direct heat exchange between the refrigerant storage part SP and the heat dissipation part RP is prevented, and the evaporated refrigerant 130 flowing into the heat dissipation part RP is liquefied. The phenomenon can be further accelerated. In addition, the connection part CP may include a porous material. As a result, the movement path of the refrigerant 130 is increased, and a rapid temperature change of the refrigerant storage unit SP by the refrigerant 130 can be prevented. Accordingly, when the cooling device is worn on the human body, discomfort due to a rapid temperature change of the cooling device can be prevented. The connection part CP may include, for example, zeolite. Zeolites may have a maze-like structure.

4 and 5 are enlarged plan views illustrating a valve structure according to embodiments of the present invention, and correspond to portion A of FIG. 3A.

4 and 5, the valve structure 150 according to embodiments of the present invention includes a first opening O1 penetrating through the support plate 110 and a second opening penetrating the temperature responsive structure 120 ( O2) may be included. The first opening O1 may overlap the plurality of second openings O2. According to an example, as shown in FIG. 4, the second opening O2 may have a circular shape. According to another example, as shown in FIG. 5, the second opening O2 may have a zigzag shape.

According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide an active cooling element capable of performing temperature control by itself. According to embodiments of the present invention, while maximizing cooling performance by using latent heat of fluid, a cooling element that does not cause loss of fluid may be provided. According to embodiments of the present invention, a cooling element capable of active temperature control without an electronic control operation, no driving energy, and miniaturization may be provided.

In the above, embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features. You can understand that there is. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not limiting.

Claims (10)

A refrigerant storage unit storing a refrigerant therein and having a valve structure formed thereon;
A heat dissipation unit disposed on the refrigerant storage unit, and the heat dissipation unit includes a heat dissipation structure having a first flow path therein;
A connection part disposed between the refrigerant storage part and the heat dissipation part, the connection part including a second flow path connecting the inside of the refrigerant storage part and the first flow path; And
And a housing disposed so as to surround the refrigerant storage unit, the heat dissipation unit and the connection unit, and sealing the refrigerant storage unit, the heat dissipation unit, and the connection unit,
The valve structure is a cooling element including a temperature-responsive structure including a temperature-reactive material whose volume changes according to temperature change. The method of claim 1,
The temperature responsive structure is a cooling element having first openings vertically penetrating therethrough. The method of claim 2,
The first openings are connected to the first flow path through the second flow path. The method of claim 2,
The valve structure further includes a support on the temperature responsive structure,
The support portion is a cooling element having second openings overlapping with the first openings. The method of claim 4,
The temperature-responsive structure includes an extension portion extending in a direction away from the connection portion through the support portion. The method of claim 1,
The temperature-reactive material is a cooling element comprising one of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), hydroxypropylcellulose, poly(N-vinyllactam), and polyvinyl methyl ether. The method of claim 1,
Cooling element further comprising a radiating fin extending from the surface of the radiating structure. The method of claim 1,
The first flow path is a cooling element having a reduced width as the distance from the refrigerant storage unit. The method of claim 1,
The heat dissipation structure is a cooling element having the shape of a triangular pyramid. The method of claim 1,
The second flow path is a cooling element having a reduced width as a distance from the refrigerant storage unit.

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