KR19990050834A - Cooling Method of Refrigerator Using Thermoelectric Semiconductor Element - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling method of a refrigerator for cooling a refrigerating compartment using a thermoelectric semiconductor element. A cooling method of a refrigerator according to the present invention is a refrigerator having a thermoelectric semiconductor element having a main body forming a refrigerating compartment, a heat generating unit positioned outside the refrigerating compartment, and a cold sink installed on a wall surface of the refrigerating compartment, wherein the heat generation is performed. Contacting the water with the cooling water; Cooling the coolant heat transferred from the heat generating unit; Returning the cooled cooling water to the heat generating unit. As a result, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerating chamber can be increased.

Description

Cooling Method of Refrigerator Using Thermoelectric Semiconductor Element

The present invention relates to a cooling method of a refrigerator for cooling a refrigerating compartment using a thermoelectric semiconductor element.

The thermoelectric semiconductor device uses a thermoelectric phenomenon that generates and absorbs heat other than Joule heat when a current flows through a junction surface of a semiconductor and a metal. The amount and direction of heat absorption and heat generation can be controlled by the magnitude and direction of the current. In addition, there is no mechanically operating part, and also has an advantage that the installation position or direction does not affect its operation, and thus is widely used to heat or cool a load, and the structure thereof is shown in FIG. 1.

1 is a front view of a thermoelectric semiconductor element, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a semiconductor thermocouple of FIG. 1. As shown in these figures, the thermoelectric semiconductor element 1 has a thermocouple portion 2 in which a plurality of semiconductor thermocouples are connected in series, and in the center of the thermocouple portion 2 is an N-type semiconductor 7 and There is a P-type semiconductor 8. The internal connection metal 9 and the external connection metals 10 and 11 are coupled to both sides of the N-type semiconductor 7 and the P-type semiconductor 8, and the internal connection metal 9 includes the semiconductors 7 and 8. In common with the external connection metal (10, 11) is coupled to the semiconductor (7, 8) independently. In particular, the external connection metals 10, 11 are extendable outward for series connection with other thermocouples. Here, which of the internal connection metal 9 and the external connection metals 10 and 11 is the heat generating side metal and which metal is the heat absorbing side metal is determined according to the direction of the current. That is, the metals 9 and 10 joined to the N-type semiconductor 7 generate heat from the metal on the side where the current flows and endothermic on the opposite side, and the P-type semiconductor 8 generates heat and endotherms in reverse. Insulating plates 3 and 4 are coupled to the metals 9, 10 and 11 of the thermocouple part 2, respectively, and the insulating plates 3 and 4 are metals 9, 10 and 11 of the thermocouple part 2. ) Is electrically isolated from the outside. The heat insulating plate 5 and the heat absorbing plate 6 are respectively coupled to the insulating plates 3 and 4, and the heat generating plate 5 and the heat absorbing plate 6 physically support the metal of the thermocouple 2, respectively. Dissipate or absorb heat

The calorific value and endothermic amount of the thermoelectric semiconductor element increase in proportion to the magnitude of the current and the absolute temperature of the semiconductor and the metal junction surface, respectively, and the temperature of the heat-generating metal is kept higher than the temperature of the heat absorbing metal by a constant difference. The thermoelectric semiconductor device may be used to cool the refrigerator compartment of the refrigerator.

3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional refrigerator using a thermoelectric semiconductor element.

As shown in this figure, the refrigerator includes a refrigerating chamber 33, a cold sink 31 mounted on one wall surface of the refrigerating chamber 33, and a heat sink plate on the cold sink 31. 22 has a thermoelectric semiconductor element 21 coupled thereto. A heat sink 32 is coupled to the heat generating plate 23 of the heat conductive semiconductor element 21, and a plurality of heat fins 34 are formed on the heat sink 32 to increase heat transfer. The front surface of the heat sink 32 is provided with a cooling fan 35 for blowing cooling air toward the heat transfer fins 34.

In the refrigerator having such a configuration, when the thermoelectric semiconductor element 21 operates, the heat absorbing plate 22 absorbs heat in the refrigerating chamber 33 through the cold sink 31, that is, cools the refrigerating chamber 33, and generates a heating plate ( 23 dissipates heat to the outside through heat sink 32. At this time, the cooling fan 35 blows cooling air to the heat transfer fins 34 of the heat sink 32 to increase heat dissipation of the heat transfer fins 34.

However, in such a conventional refrigerator, the heat transfer efficiency is relatively low because the cooling of the heat sink 32 is by air cooling using the cooling fan 35. In particular, cooling is difficult when the temperature of the ambient air of the heat sink 32 is high. Therefore, there is a problem that the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink 32 is low and the cooling efficiency of the refrigerating chamber is also lowered.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator cooling method capable of increasing the cooling efficiency of a refrigerator compartment in a refrigerator using a thermoelectric semiconductor element to cool the refrigerator compartment.

1 is a front view of a thermoelectric semiconductor element,

FIG. 2 is a front view of the semiconductor thermocouple of FIG. 1;

3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional refrigerator;

4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a refrigerator according to the present invention;

5 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 4;

6 is a flowchart illustrating a cooling method of the refrigerator illustrated in FIG. 4.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1, 21, 61: thermoelectric semiconductor element 2: thermocouple portion

3, 4: insulation plates 5, 23, 63: heating plate

6, 22, 62: heat absorbing plate 7: N-type semiconductor

8: P-type semiconductor 9: Internal connection metal

10, 11: external connection metal 31, 52: cold sink

32: heat sink 33, 51: refrigerator compartment

34: heating fin 57: radiator

58: cooling water circulation pump 59: cooling fan

71: control unit 72: thermoelectric semiconductor element start switch

73: cooling fan drive circuit 74: cooling water circulation pump drive circuit

75: thermoelectric semiconductor element driving circuit 76: refrigerator temperature sensor

In the refrigerator provided with the thermoelectric semiconductor element which has the main body which forms a refrigerator compartment, the heat generating part located in the exterior of the said refrigerator compartment, and the cold sink provided in the wall surface of the said refrigerator compartment in accordance with this invention, The said heat generating part is provided. Contacting heat to the coolant; Cooling the coolant heat transferred from the heat generating unit; It is achieved by the cooling method of the refrigerator comprising the step of returning the cooled cooling water to the heat generating portion.

Here, it is preferable to blow cooling air toward the cooling water in the cooling step.

On the other hand, further comprising the step of detecting the temperature of the cooling water, it is preferable to increase the flow rate of the cooling water or the blowing amount of the cooling air as the temperature of the cooling water is higher in the cooling step.

On the other hand, in the cooling step, it is preferable that after the operation of the thermoelectric semiconductor element is stopped, the cooling water is continuously circulated until the temperature of the cooling water is lower than a predetermined temperature, and the cooling air is continuously blown.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a refrigerator according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a cooling method of the refrigerator shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the refrigerator includes a refrigerating chamber 51, a cold sink 52 provided on one wall surface of the refrigerating chamber 51, and a heat absorbing plate 62 in the cold sink 52. It has a combined thermoelectric semiconductor element 61. The heat generating plate 63 of the thermoelectric semiconductor element 61 is provided with a cooling water accommodating portion 64 having a cooling water inlet 67 and a cooling water outlet 66. A radiator 57 having a zigzag-shaped heat transfer tube is connected to the cooling water accommodating portion 64 via the cooling water pipe 56a. Cooling water temperature sensor 60 for detecting the temperature of the cooling water is attached to the surface of the cooling water pipe 56a, and a cooling fan 59 for blowing cooling air toward the heat transfer pipe of the radiator 57 on the front surface of the radiator 57. ) Is installed. A cooling water circulation pump 58 is connected to the radiator 57 through a cooling water pipe 56b, and the cooling water circulation pump 58 circulates the cooling water between the cooling water accommodating part 64 and the radiator 57.

In the refrigerator having such a configuration, when the control unit 71 controls the thermoelectric semiconductor element driving circuit 75 to start the thermoelectric semiconductor element 61 according to the start signal input from the thermoelectric semiconductor element starting switch 72 (S1). The heat absorbing plate 62 absorbs heat in the refrigerating compartment 51 through the cold sink 52, that is, cools the refrigerating compartment 51, and the coolant contained in the coolant accommodating portion 64 is generated in the thermoelectric semiconductor element 61. The heat is absorbed and heated. After the thermoelectric semiconductor element 61 is started, the control unit 71 controls the coolant circulation pump driving circuit 74 and the cooling fan driving circuit 73 according to the start signal of the thermoelectric semiconductor element input from the thermoelectric semiconductor element starting switch 72. ) To operate the cooling water circulation pump 58 and the cooling fan 59 (S2). The coolant heated in the coolant accommodating part 64 moves to the radiator 57 through the coolant pipe 56a by the coolant circulation pump 58. At this time, the coolant temperature sensor 60 detects the temperature of the heated coolant (S3). The coolant in the radiator 57 releases heat to the outside and cools again while passing through the heat pipe. At this time, the control unit 71 controls the cooling water circulation pump driving circuit 74 and the cooling fan driving circuit 73 according to a signal input from the cooling water temperature sensor 60 so that the cooling fan 59 increases as the temperature of the cooling water increases. And operating the cooling water circulation pump 58 at high speed (S4, S5). As a result, the amount of heat absorbed by the coolant in the coolant accommodating portion 64 and the amount of heat released by the coolant in the radiator 57 increase. The coolant cooled again while passing through the heat transfer tube of the radiator 57 is returned to the coolant accommodating portion 64 by the coolant circulation pump 58 through the coolant pipe 56c.

On the other hand, when the temperature of the refrigerating chamber 51 reaches the set temperature according to a signal input from the refrigerating chamber temperature sensor 53, the control unit 71 controls the thermoelectric semiconductor element driving circuit 75 to control the thermoelectric semiconductor element 61. The operation is stopped (S6), and the cooling water circulation pump driving circuit 74 and the cooling fan driving circuit 73 are controlled to control the cooling water circulation pump 58 and the cooling fan 59 until the temperature of the cooling water becomes a predetermined temperature or less. ) Is extended and operated to repeat the heating and cooling cycles of the cooling water in the cooling water container 64 and the radiator 57 (S7). Thereby, heat remaining in the heat generating portion of the thermoelectric semiconductor element 61 can be prevented from being transferred into the refrigerating chamber 51.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in cooling the refrigerating compartment using the thermoelectric semiconductor element, the cooling efficiency of the refrigerating compartment can be increased.

Claims (7)

A refrigerator comprising a thermoelectric semiconductor element having a main body forming a refrigerating compartment, a heat generating unit located outside the refrigerating compartment, and a cold sink provided on a wall surface of the refrigerating compartment, Contacting heat to the heat generating unit to conduct heat transfer; Cooling the coolant heat transferred from the heat generating unit; And returning the cooled cooling water to the heat generating unit. The method according to claim 1, The cooling step, Cooling method of the refrigerator comprising the step of blowing the cooling air toward the cooling water. The method according to claim 1, Detecting a temperature of the cooling water; The cooling step, Cooling method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for increasing the temperature of the cooling water increases the flow rate of the cooling water. The method according to claim 2, Detecting a temperature of the cooling water; The cooling step, Cooling method of the refrigerator, characterized in that to increase the blowing amount of the cooling air as the temperature of the cooling water is higher. The method according to claim 2, Detecting a temperature of the cooling water; The cooling step, Cooling method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for increasing the temperature of the cooling water increases the flow rate of the cooling water. The method according to claim 4, The cooling step, Cooling method of the refrigerator, characterized in that for increasing the temperature of the cooling water increases the flow rate of the cooling water. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, The cooling step, And after the operation of the thermoelectric semiconductor element is stopped, the cooling water is continuously circulated until the temperature of the cooling water becomes below a predetermined temperature, and the cooling air is continuously blown.