KR20170043698A - Method and apparatus for sterilizing heat sink of thermoelectric device assembly - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for sterilizing heat sink of thermoelectric device assembly Download PDF

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KR20170043698A
KR20170043698A KR1020150142722A KR20150142722A KR20170043698A KR 20170043698 A KR20170043698 A KR 20170043698A KR 1020150142722 A KR1020150142722 A KR 1020150142722A KR 20150142722 A KR20150142722 A KR 20150142722A KR 20170043698 A KR20170043698 A KR 20170043698A
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heat sink
thermoelectric element
voltage
thermoelectric
control unit
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KR1020150142722A
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Korean (ko)
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KR101818729B1 (en
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임현의
오선종
이덕규
김완두
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한국기계연구원
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    • H01L35/30—
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01K—MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01K13/00—Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
    • H01L35/02—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02N—ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H02N11/00—Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means
    • H02N11/002—Generators

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
  • Devices For Blowing Cold Air, Devices For Blowing Warm Air, And Means For Preventing Water Condensation In Air Conditioning Units (AREA)

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of sterilizing a heat sink of a thermoelectric device assembly comprises: a step of switching, in a reverse direction, a voltage to be applied to a thermoelectric element by a control part to control the voltage to the thermoelectric element such that a heat is generated from a first contact surface between the thermoelectric element and a cooling heat sink, and the heat is absorbed by a second contact surface between the thermoelectric element and the heat sink to radiate heat; a step of heating the cooling heat sink to a predetermined temperature or higher by applying a voltage to the thermoelectric element for a first time with a switched polarity; a step of maintaining the cooling heat sink at the predetermined temperature or higher for a second time; a step of stopping an application of a voltage to the thermoelectric element or switching the voltage in a forward direction such that the voltage is applied to the thermoelectric element after the second time is elapsed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sterilizing a heat sink of a thermoelectric device assembly,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermoelectric element assembly, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for sterilizing a surface of a heat sink of a thermoelectric module assembly.

The thermoelectric effect is the effect of heat flow and current on the thermoelectric properties of a metal or thermoelectric semiconductor junction. The Peltier effect and the Seebeck effect, .

The Peltier effect refers to the phenomenon that when a current flows in a circuit composed of a thermoelectric semiconductor, one side of the thermoelectric semiconductor generates heat while the other end absorbs heat. The thermoelectric element using the Peltier effect is also called a Peltier element, and the Peltier element is used for various purpose heat exchangers such as cooling of a computer element (for example, a semiconductor chip), cooling of a cooling device, dehumidifying device and / or dehumidification.

The heat exchanger using a thermoelectric element typically has a thermoelectric transducer 10 and a heat sink 20 for cooling and a heat sink 30 for heating on both sides of the thermoelectric transducer 10 as shown in Fig. . The internal structure of the thermoelectric element 10 is composed of a plurality of P-type thermoelectric semiconductors and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric semiconductors as shown in FIG.

2, a thermoelectric transducer 10 includes a plurality of P-type thermoelectric semiconductors 130 and a plurality of N-type thermoelectric semiconductors 140 arranged between two ceramic substrates 110 and 120. The P-type and N-type thermoelectric semiconductors 130 and 140 are alternately arranged in parallel. The upper end of the optional p-type thermoelectric semiconductor 130 is electrically connected to the neighboring n-type thermoelectric semiconductor 140 by the conductor 150 and the lower end thereof is electrically connected to another neighboring n-type thermoelectric semiconductor 140 by the conductor 160. [ And the p-type thermoelectric semiconductor 130 and the n-type thermoelectric semiconductor 140 are electrically connected in series. The upper substrate 110 and the lower substrate 120 are formed of an insulating material such as a ceramic substrate so that the conductors 150 and 160 are electrically connected to each other and are not short-circuited.

The upper substrate 110 may be coupled to the heat sink 20 (e.g., for cooling) and the lower substrate 120 may be coupled to the heat sink 30 (e.g., for heating). Electrodes 190 are formed on one of the P-type thermoelectric semiconductor 130 and the N-type thermoelectric semiconductor 140. The DC current flows through the electrode 190 and the upper substrate 110, for example, And the lower substrate 120 side is heated by heat generation.

However, when the heat exchanger using such a thermoelectric element is used for a dehumidifier, for example, the air in contact with the cooling heat sink 20 of FIG. 1 sucks heat to the heat sink 20, 20) Water droplets appear on the surface. When water droplets are formed on the surface of the heat sink 20, the dehumidifying effect is lowered and an environment in which various bacteria (bacteria) such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, viruses, fungi, etc. are formed on the surface of the heat sink 20. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly clean and manage the dehumidifier to clean the dehumidifier and prevent air pollution.

Patent Document 1: Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-0099404 (published on Nov. 09, 2001) Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 1998-253166 (published on Sep. 25, 1998)

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a thermoelectric module assembly including a function of sterilizing a surface of a heat sink of a thermoelectric module assembly.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sterilization method capable of sterilizing a surface of a heat sink of a thermoelectric module assembly.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of disinfecting a heat sink of a thermoelectric module assembly, wherein a first contact surface between the thermoelectric module and the cooling heat sink is heated by a control unit for controlling application of voltage to the thermoelectric module, Switching the voltage to be applied to the thermoelectric element in a reverse direction so that the second contact surface with the heat sink for heat dissipation; Heating the cooling heat sink to a predetermined temperature or higher by applying a voltage to the thermoelectric element for a first time with the switched polarity; Maintaining the cooling heat sink at the predetermined temperature or higher for a second time; And stopping the application of the voltage to the thermoelectric element or switching the voltage in the forward direction after the elapse of the second time and applying the voltage to the thermoelectric element.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a thermoelectric element assembly, comprising: a thermoelectric element; A cooling heat sink attached to the first surface of the thermoelectric element; A heat sink for heat generation attached to a second surface of the thermoelectric element; A control unit for controlling application of a voltage to the thermoelectric element; And a power supply unit for applying a voltage to the thermoelectric element under the control of the controller, wherein the controller controls the power supply unit so that the first surface of the thermoelectric element generates heat and the second surface absorbs heat, The present invention provides a thermoelectric element assembly capable of switching a voltage to be applied to a thermoelectric element in a reverse direction.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thermoelectric device assembly can automatically sterilize the surface of the heat sink for cooling, so that the heat exchanger assembly and the air pollution can be prevented and the management can be facilitated.

1 is a perspective view of a conventional thermoelectric device assembly,
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional thermoelectric device,
3 is a block diagram of a thermoelectric element assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view for explaining application of a forward voltage to a thermoelectric device according to an embodiment,
5 is a view for explaining application of a reverse voltage to a thermoelectric element according to an embodiment,
6 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method of sterilizing a heat sink in accordance with one embodiment,
Figure 7 is a flow diagram of an alternative method of sterilizing a heat sink, according to one embodiment;
8 is a view for explaining a configuration of a thermoelectric element assembly for a germicidal effect test according to an embodiment,
9 and 10 are views for explaining a sterilizing effect according to an embodiment,
FIGS. 11 and 12 are views for explaining a surface-treated heat sink so that the temperature change can take place in a short time according to an embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments disclosed herein are provided so that the disclosure can be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

In this specification, when an element is referred to as being on another element, it may be directly formed on another element, or a third element may be interposed therebetween. Also, the thickness of the components in the figures is exaggerated for an effective description of the technical content.

Where the terms first, second, etc. are used herein to describe components, these components should not be limited by such terms. These terms have only been used to distinguish one component from another. The embodiments described and exemplified herein also include their complementary embodiments.

The terms 'upper', 'lower', 'left', 'right', etc. used to describe the positional relationship between components in the present specification do not mean directions as absolute references, It refers to the relative meaning for convenience of reference when referring. For example, referring to FIG. 3, it is described that the heat sink is coupled to the 'left' and the 'right' of the thermoelectric element 10, but with reference to FIG. 8 for the same configuration, Explain that the 'bottom' combines the heat sink. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the expressions representing the positional relationships mentioned below represent the relative positional relationship in the corresponding drawings when the respective drawings are referred to.

In the present specification, the singular form includes plural forms unless otherwise specified in the specification. The terms "comprise" and / or "comprising" used in the specification do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Various specific details are set forth in the following description of specific embodiments in order to provide a more detailed description of the invention and to aid in understanding the invention. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be understood by those skilled in the art without departing from such specific details. In some cases, it should be mentioned in advance that it is common knowledge in describing an invention, and that parts not significantly related to the invention are not described in order to avoid confusion in describing the invention.

3 is a block diagram of a thermoelectric device assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, such a thermoelectric module assembly can be applied as a heat exchanger in various devices such as a dehumidifier, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, a hot water supply device, and a cold water supply device.

Referring to the drawings, a thermoelectric module assembly according to an embodiment includes a thermoelectric transducer 10, a cooling heat sink 20 attached to a first surface of the thermoelectric transducer, a heat sink for heat generation 20 attached to a second surface of the thermoelectric transducer, A control unit 40 for controlling the application of voltage to the thermoelectric elements, a power supply unit 50 for applying a voltage to the thermoelectric elements under the control of the control unit, and a user interface 60. [ Alternatively, the thermoelectric module assembly may further include a temperature sensor 25 for measuring the surface temperature of the heat sink for cooling 20.

The thermoelectric element 10 is interposed between the heat sink for cooling 20 and the heat sink for heat generation 30. Each of the heat sinks 20 and 30 is made of a material having high thermal conductivity and has a thermoelectric fin shape so that the contact area between the fluid (gas or liquid) and the heat sink can be increased. However, in alternate embodiments, the heat sinks 20,30 may be in the form of a pin-free sheet material, and the invention is not limited to any particular material or shape of the heat sinks 20,30.

When the power supply unit 50 applies a voltage to the thermoelectric element 10, the second surface contacting the heat sink 30 for heating from the first surface contacting the cooling heat sink 20 in the thermoelectric element 10 Lt; / RTI > As a result, heat is absorbed from the side of the cooling heat sink 20 to cool the fluid (gas or liquid) which is in contact with the cooling heat sink 20, and this heat is transferred to the heat sink 30 through the thermoelectric element 10, Lt; / RTI > The heat-generating heat sink 30 can heat the fluid (gas or liquid) in contact with the heat-generating heat sink 30 by discharging the transferred heat to the outside.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling heat sink 20 is shown to be smaller in size than the heat sink for heat generation 30, as in the case of a combination of general thermoelectric element assemblies. However, according to a specific embodiment, the two heat sinks 20, Or the cooling heat sink 20 may be larger than the heat sink 30 for heating.

The control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to apply a voltage to the thermoelectric element 10. In one embodiment, the control unit 40 may apply a forward voltage such that the first surface of the thermoelectric element 10 absorbs heat and the second surface generates heat. Further, the control unit 40 may switch the voltage polarity to apply the reverse voltage so that the first surface of the thermoelectric element 10 generates heat and the second surface absorbs heat.

In one embodiment, the controller 40 applies a voltage in the reverse direction for the first time to heat the cooling heat sink 20 to a predetermined temperature or higher, and then controls the cooling heat sink 20 to maintain the predetermined temperature for a second time . Further, the control unit 40 may control the power supply unit 50 so as to stop the application of the voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 or switch the voltage in the forward direction after the lapse of the second time.

The power supply unit 50 supplies a voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 under the control of the control unit 40. In one embodiment, the power supply unit 50 may apply voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 by switching the voltage polarity applied to the thermoelectric element 10. To this end, the power supply unit 50 may be configured to include, for example, a regulator and / or a DC-DC converter.

The user interface 60 includes an interface device (e.g., a button or a switch) capable of receiving a sterilization operation command from the outside. For example, when the user presses the sterilization button through the user interface 60, the control unit 40 receives the sterilization command and accordingly switches the voltage applied to the thermoelectric element 10 in the reverse direction to apply the voltage to the power supply unit 50, respectively.

Alternatively, the control unit 40 determines whether a predetermined time period has elapsed, regardless of user input from the user interface 60. If the time period has elapsed, the control unit 40 switches the voltage to be applied to the thermoelectric element 10 in the reverse direction . For example, the control unit 40 may include a timer (not shown) to count the predetermined time period.

In one embodiment, the thermoelectric device assembly may further include a temperature sensor 25. [ The temperature sensor 25 is for measuring the surface temperature of the cooling heat sink 20 and can be attached to any surface position of the cooling heat sink 20. [ The temperature value sensed by the temperature sensor 25 is transmitted to the control unit 40 and the control unit 40 can adjust the magnitude and / or direction of the voltage applied to the thermoelectric element 10 based on the temperature value .

4 is a diagram for explaining application of a forward voltage to a thermoelectric element according to an embodiment. The power supply unit 50 applies a forward voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 through a wire 55. As shown in FIG.

The 'forward voltage' in this specification means that the voltage is applied so that the cooling heat sink 20 and the heat sink for heat generation 30 operate according to the original purpose. The first surface of the thermoelectric element 10 in contact with the cooling heat sink 20 absorbs heat and the heating surface of the heat sink 30 The second surface of the contact thermoelectric element 10 emits heat so that the cooling heat sink 20 reduces the temperature of the surrounding fluid and cools the heat sink 30. The heat sink for heat generation 30 emits heat to the surrounding fluid, . As a result, the thermoelectric element assembly functions as a heat exchanger such as a dehumidifier as originally intended.

5 is a diagram for explaining application of a reverse voltage to a thermoelectric element according to an embodiment. The power supply unit 50 applies a reverse voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 through the electric wire 55. FIG.

Herein, the 'reverse' voltage means a voltage applied in a direction opposite to the above 'forward direction' to apply a voltage to operate for sterilization of the cooling heat sink 20. The first surface of the thermoelectric element 10 in contact with the cooling heat sink 20 emits heat so that the heat sink 30 and the heat sink 30 The second surface of the thermoelectric element 10 in contact absorbs heat, whereby the cooling heat sink 20 generates heat and the heat sink for heat generation 30 is cooled. As a result, the cooling heat sink 20 is temporarily heated to sterilize various bacteria (bacteria), viruses, molds, etc. on the surface of the cooling heat sink 20.

6 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method of sterilizing a heat sink in accordance with one embodiment. This exemplary flow chart can be applied, for example, when the control unit 40 does not know or does not need to know the surface temperature information of the cooling heat sink 20. [

Referring to the drawing, first, in step S110, a voltage is applied to the thermoelectric element 10 in a forward direction, thereby using the thermoelectric device assembly as a heat exchanger originally intended (S120). The controller 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to switch the voltage in the reverse direction at step S140 when the sterilizing operation command of the user is inputted through the user interface 60 during operation as the heat exchanger at step S130. As another example, when the thermoelectric device assembly operates as a heat exchanger, the control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to start the sterilization operation, for example, when a predetermined time period elapses or a specific event occurs, .

The control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to apply the voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 in the reverse direction for the first time (S150). At this time, the first time may be a preset predetermined time, and preferably the heat sink 20 may be heated to a predetermined temperature or higher enough to sterilize bacteria (bacteria), viruses, molds, etc. on the surface of the heat sink 20 ) Can be heated. In one embodiment, this predetermined temperature may be, for example, 60 degrees. In another embodiment, the predetermined temperature may be, for example, 70 degrees.

Following step S150, the control unit 40 keeps the cooling heat sink 20 at the predetermined temperature or higher for a second time (S160). Here, the second time may be a preset predetermined time, preferably a time sufficient to sterilize bacteria (bacteria), viruses, fungi, etc. on the surface of the heat sink 20. The second time may be set differently depending on the surface temperature of the heat sink 20 heated by the step S150. For example, the second time may be set to 15 seconds when the surface temperature is 70 degrees in step S150, and the second time may be set to 10 seconds when the surface temperature in step S150 is 80 degrees.

After the completion of the sterilization operation of the surface of the cooling heat sink 20 in step S160, the control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to switch the voltage again in step S170 , And the thermoelectric device assembly can then be used again as the heat exchanger for the original purpose (S180). As another example, when the process proceeds to step S160 and sterilization is completed, the control unit 40 may stop the supply of power to the thermoelectric element 10 to end the operation as the heat exchanger. For example, the thermoelectric device assembly may be preset to always stop and stop the sterilizing operation when the thermoelectric device assembly stops operating as a heat exchanger. Accordingly, when the operation as the heat exchanger is finished, the steps S140 to S160 are executed to perform the sterilizing operation You can finish after you finish.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an alternative method of sterilizing a heat sink according to one embodiment, and this exemplary flow chart is applicable when, for example, the controller 40 is able to know the surface temperature information of the cooling heat sink 20 .

Referring to the drawing, in step S210, a voltage is applied to the thermoelectric element 10 in a forward direction, thereby using the thermoelectric device assembly as a heat exchanger originally intended (S220). When the sterilizing operation command of the user is input through the user interface 60, for example, during the operation as the heat exchanger (S230), the control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to switch the voltage in the reverse direction (S240). As another example, when the thermoelectric device assembly operates as a heat exchanger, the control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to start the sterilization operation, for example, when a predetermined time period elapses or a specific event occurs, .

Thereafter, the control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to continuously apply the reverse voltage to heat the cooling heat sink 20 to the first temperature (S250, S260).

In this case, when the temperature sensor 25 is attached to the heat sink 20, for example, the control unit 40 recognizes the surface temperature of the cooling heat sink 20, The temperature of the heat sink 20 can be known by the control unit 40. [

Here, the first temperature may be a preset predetermined temperature, preferably a temperature at which sterilizing of bacteria (bacteria), viruses, fungi, etc. on the surface of the heat sink 20 is possible. In one embodiment, the first temperature may be, for example, 60 degrees, and in another embodiment, the first temperature may be 70 degrees or 80 degrees.

When the cooling heat sink 20 reaches the first temperature, in step S270, the cooling heat sink 20 is maintained at the first temperature or higher for a predetermined period of time, and the surface of the heat sink 20 is sterilized. Here, the 'predetermined time' may be a preset predetermined time, preferably a time sufficient to sterilize the surface of the heat sink 20. This predetermined time may be set differently according to the value of the first temperature which is the heating target in the step S250. For example, if the first temperature is 70 degrees, the predetermined time may be set to 15 seconds, and if the first temperature is 80 degrees, the predetermined time may be set to 10 seconds.

When the process of step S270 is completed and the sterilizing operation of the surface of the cooling heat sink 20 is completed, in step S280, the control unit 40 controls the power supply unit 50 to switch the voltage again in the forward direction , And the thermoelectric device assembly can then be used again as the heat exchanger for the original purpose (S290). As another example, when the process proceeds to step S270 and sterilization is completed, the control unit 40 may stop the power supply to the thermoelectric element 10 to end the operation as the heat exchanger.

8 is a view illustrating a configuration of a thermoelectric element assembly for a germicidal effect test according to an embodiment. In this experimental example, an aluminum plate for experiment 70 and a heat sink for heating 80 are attached to both sides of the thermoelectric element 10, respectively. The aluminum plate 70 corresponds to the cooling heat sink 20 in the above-described embodiment, and bacteria of a predetermined density can be cultured on the surface of the aluminum plate 70 for the purpose of experiment. In the illustrated experimental example, E. coli and P. aeruginosa were cultured on an aluminum plate (70).

In this state, a forward voltage was applied to the thermoelectric element 10 for an initial predetermined time to operate as a heat exchanger, and then a sterilization operation was performed by applying a reverse voltage. The results are shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.

9 (a) shows a state in which the aluminum plate 70 is heated from immediately after application of a reverse voltage to the thermoelectric element 10 by using an infrared ray camera. First, a forward voltage is applied to function as a cooling heat sink , But it was heated up to 80 degrees as the reverse voltage was applied and heated.

9 (b) and 9 (c) are photographs of the Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultured in the aluminum plate 70 at the respective temperatures, respectively. Even when the aluminum plate 70 reaches 60 degrees at normal temperature, (Bacterium) are present, and when it reaches 70 degrees, most of it is killed, and when it reaches 80 degrees, almost all bacteria (bacteria) are killed.

Fig. 10 is a graph showing the results. The X axis represents the temperature of the aluminum plate 70, the Y axis represents the duration at each temperature step, and the Z axis represents the number of bacteria (bacteria). Fig. , And Fig. 10 (b) shows the number of P. aeruginosa.

Referring to the figure, it can be seen that when the temperature of the aluminum plate 70 is heated to 60 degrees, the bacteria gradually decrease, and when the temperature is maintained at 60 degrees (for 60 seconds, for example) . Aluminum plate (70) is heated to 70 degrees, and most of bacteria (bacteria) die even at this temperature for a short time. When heated to 80 degrees, all bacteria It can be seen that it is dead.

In one embodiment, the time for applying the reverse voltage can be set in advance according to the result of this experiment. For example, the heating target temperature of the cooling heat sink 20 may be set at 80 degrees, set to 60 seconds for heating to this temperature, and then 15 to 30 seconds for sterilization, It is understood that the application of the reverse voltage only for 2 minutes to 2 minutes can sufficiently obtain the sterilizing effect.

One embodiment related to the surface treatment of the heat sink for heat generation 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG.

11 and 12 are partial enlarged views of a heat sink for heat generation according to an embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat sink 30 is composed of a plurality of pins 33 vertically protruding from the surface of the body 31 (i.e., the area in contact with the thermoelectric element 10) of the heat sink 30 .

11 shows an example in which the surface 34 of the heat generating fin 33 is blasted with small particles to improve the surface roughness. Such surface roughening can enlarge the surface area, and therefore, there is an advantage that the temperature conversion for sterilization can be rapidly performed in a short time. In one embodiment, abrasive such as sand or the like is strongly sprayed on the surface to be processed by using a blasting gun or the like, and the blasting process can be performed by grinding the surface to be processed by the impact.

12 is an example in which the surface of the heat generating fin 33 is blasted with small particles and then metallized with aluminum or copper particles having good thermal conductivity to further increase the surface roughness.

Metalizing is also called metal spray, which is a technique of melting metal and spraying it on the surface to be machined. In one embodiment, the surface 34 of the heating pin 33 can be metalized by spraying the cooling fin 23 while dissolving the particles such as aluminum or copper and spraying it with the nozzle. 12, not only the surface 34 of the heat generating fin has its own roughness but also aluminum or copper particles 36 are bonded onto the surface 34 by the metalizing to increase the surface roughness Respectively.

Such blasting and / or metallizing may be performed not only on the surface of the heat generating fin 33 but also on the surface of the main body 31 of the heat sink 30 for heat generation. 11 or 12, the surface of the main body 31 of the heat-generating heat sink 30 on which the pins are protruded may be blasted and / or metallized.

Although not shown in the drawings, in alternative embodiments of the present invention, the thermoelectric module assembly may further include vibration means (not shown) capable of vibrating the heat sink for cooling 20. That is, when various kinds of bacteria, viruses, molds, and the like on the surface of the heat sink 20 are heated by the cooling heat sink 20, the heat sink 20 is not left on the surface of the heat sink 20, ) To shake down dead bodies such as dead bacteria.

To this end, vibration means may be mounted at any position of the thermoelectric device assembly. In one embodiment, the vibrating means may be attached and attached to any surface of the cooling heat sink 20. Alternatively, the vibrating means may be attached to any surface of the module consisting of the thermoelectric element 10, the cooling heat sink 20, and the heat sink for heat generation 30, and the module and the module May be attached to any surface of the connecting member between the device (e.g., various devices such as a dehumidifier, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, a hot water supply, a cold water supply, etc.).

As described above, although the present invention has been described with reference to the limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications and variations may be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited by the described embodiments, but should be determined by the scope of the appended claims, as well as the appended claims.

10: thermoelectric element
20: Heatsink for cooling
25: Temperature sensor
30, 80: Heat sink for heating
40:
50: Power supply
60: User interface
70: Aluminum plate

Claims (13)

A method of sterilizing a heat sink of a thermoelectric device assembly,
A control section for controlling the application of voltage to the thermoelectric element is provided with a voltage to be applied to the thermoelectric element so that the first contact surface between the thermoelectric element and the cooling heat sink generates heat and the second contact surface between the thermoelectric element and the heat- In a reverse direction;
Heating the cooling heat sink to a predetermined temperature or higher by applying a voltage to the thermoelectric element for a first time with the switched polarity;
Maintaining the cooling heat sink at the predetermined temperature or higher for a second time; And
And stopping the application of the voltage to the thermoelectric element or switching the voltage forward after applying the second time to apply the thermoelectric element to the thermoelectric element. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising the step of the controller determining whether a sterilizing operation command has been input through the user interface before switching the voltage in the reverse direction. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising the step of the controller determining whether a predetermined time period has elapsed before switching the voltage in the reverse direction. The method for sterilizing a heat sink of a thermoelectric module assembly according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is at least 60 degrees Celsius. The method for sterilizing a heat sink of a thermoelectric module assembly according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is 70 degrees Celsius or more and the second time is 15 seconds or more. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit determines whether or not the cooling heat sink is higher than the predetermined temperature from a sensing value of a temperature sensor attached to the cooling heat sink. A thermoelectric module assembly comprising:
A thermoelectric element (10);
A cooling heat sink (20) attached to a first surface of the thermoelectric element;
A heat sink for heating (30) attached to a second surface of the thermoelectric element;
A control unit (40) for controlling application of voltage to the thermoelectric element;
And a power supply unit (50) for applying a voltage to the thermoelectric element under the control of the control unit,
Wherein the control unit controls the power supply unit to switch a voltage to be applied to the thermoelectric element in a reverse direction so that the first surface of the thermoelectric element generates heat and the second surface absorbs heat. 8. The method of claim 7,
The control unit controls the power supply unit to apply a voltage for the first time to the thermoelectric element with the reversed switching polarity so as to heat the cooling heat sink to a predetermined temperature or more, And the temperature can be maintained. The electrothermal transducer according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the power supply unit to stop applying the voltage to the thermoelectric element after the elapse of the second time, assembly. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the thermoelectric module assembly further comprises a user interface capable of receiving a sterilization operation command from the outside,
Wherein the control unit switches the voltage to be applied to the thermoelectric element in a reverse direction upon receiving the sterilization operation command through the user interface. The thermoelectric module assembly according to claim 7, wherein the control unit determines whether a predetermined time period has elapsed, and switches the voltage to be applied to the thermoelectric element in a reverse direction if the time period has elapsed. 8. The thermoelectric module assembly according to claim 7, wherein the surface of the heat sink for heat treatment is treated to have a surface roughness by blasting or blasting and metallizing. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the thermoelectric element assembly further comprises a temperature sensor attached to the cooling heat sink,
Wherein the controller is able to determine whether the cooling heat sink is above the predetermined temperature from the sensing value of the temperature sensor.
KR1020150142722A 2015-10-13 2015-10-13 Method and apparatus for sterilizing heat sink of thermoelectric device assembly KR101818729B1 (en)

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