TWI807189B - Temperature control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to obtain a temperature adjustment unit that suppresses deformation due to the pressure of a heating medium in a container and has a high temperature adjustment effect. The temperature adjustment unit (1) of the present invention is equipped with a temperature adjustment mechanism (3) through which a heating medium passes; the temperature adjustment mechanism (3) is equipped with: a porous metal body and a container (5) for accommodating the porous metal body; the container (5) has at least one main surface exposed to the outside of the temperature regulation mechanism (3), and when the inner side of the main surface contacts the porous metal body, heat exchange between the porous metal body and the outside is performed; Strong member (10).

Description

Temperature control unit

The invention relates to a temperature regulation unit.

In general, if the power used by an electrical device increases, the heat generated will increase, resulting in a high temperature of the electrical device, which will cause malfunctions and malfunctions. Therefore, a cooling member for cooling and dissipating the generated heat is installed in the electrical equipment in many cases.

As an example of the known technology of such a cooling member, Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling member for the purpose of excellent cooling effect, easy miniaturization and thinning, and localized cooling, which is equipped with a metal fiber sheet made of metal fibers, and a cooling mechanism for cooling the metal fiber sheet; According to this cooling member, if the pressure of the refrigerant introduced into the container is increased to increase the flow rate of the refrigerant, the cooling effect can be enhanced. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-9433

(Problem to be solved by the invention)

However, in the cooling member disclosed in Patent Document 1, which is an example of the above-mentioned prior art, if the pressure of the refrigerant inside the container is increased to increase the cooling effect, the temperature adjustment means belonging to the cooling member may be deformed. This phenomenon can be said to be the same when the temperature in the container is increased. If the pressure of the heat medium in the container is increased to increase the heating effect, the temperature adjustment unit may be deformed. That is, if the pressure of the heating medium in the container is increased in order to increase the temperature adjustment effect, there is a possibility that the temperature adjustment unit may be deformed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a temperature adjustment unit that suppresses deformation due to pressure of a heating medium in a housing and has a high temperature adjustment effect. (technical means to solve the problem)

The present invention which solves the above-mentioned problems and achieves the object is a temperature-regulating unit, which is equipped with a temperature-regulating mechanism through which a heating medium passes; the above-mentioned temperature-regulating mechanism includes: a porous metal body, and a container for accommodating the porous metal body; at least one main surface of the containing system is exposed outside the temperature-regulating mechanism, and heat exchange between the porous metal body and the outside is performed when the inner side of the main surface contacts the porous metal body;

In the temperature adjustment unit, the porous metal body is preferably a metal fiber sheet including metal fibers.

In the above-mentioned temperature adjustment unit, it is preferable that the above-mentioned reinforcing member is arranged to overlap on the outside of the above-mentioned storage body.

In the above-mentioned temperature regulation unit, it is preferable that the reinforcement member is arranged so as to cover a side portion substantially perpendicular to one main surface of the cubic temperature regulation mechanism.

In the above temperature adjustment unit, it is preferable that the reinforcement member is disposed so as to cover the entire surface of the temperature adjustment mechanism.

Alternatively, the temperature regulation unit of the present invention is provided with: a temperature regulation mechanism through which a heating medium passes; the temperature regulation mechanism is provided with: a porous metal body, and a storage body for accommodating the porous metal body; at least one main surface of the storage system is exposed outside the temperature regulation mechanism, and heat exchange between the porous metal body and the outside is performed when the inner side of the main surface is in contact with the porous metal body; .

In the temperature adjustment unit, the porous metal body is preferably a metal fiber sheet including metal fibers.

In the above-mentioned temperature adjustment unit, it is preferable to include a rod-shaped member inserted into at least a part of the above-mentioned storage body and the above-mentioned metal fiber sheet.

In the above-mentioned temperature adjustment unit, it is preferable to include a nut screwed to the above-mentioned rod-shaped member.

Alternatively, the temperature regulation unit of the present invention is provided with: a temperature regulation mechanism through which a heating medium passes; the temperature regulation mechanism is provided with: a porous metal body, and a storage body for accommodating the porous metal body; at least one main surface of the storage system is exposed outside the temperature regulation mechanism, and heat exchange between the porous metal body and the outside is performed when the inner side of the main surface contacts the porous metal body; .

In the above temperature adjustment unit, the porous metal body preferably includes a metal fiber sheet made of metal fibers.

In the above-mentioned temperature adjustment unit, the above-mentioned reinforcing member is preferably in the shape of a plate or a rod.

Alternatively, in the above temperature adjustment unit, it is preferable that the reinforcement member also extends to the outside of the storage body. (compared to the effect of previous technology)

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a temperature adjustment unit that suppresses deformation due to the pressure of the heating medium in the container and has a high temperature adjustment effect.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not interpreted and limited by the description of the following embodiments. In addition, in the following description, the same component code|symbol is attached|subjected to the same structure.

First, terms used in the following description are defined. The so-called "metal fiber" refers to a fiber mainly composed of metal, for example, "copper fiber" refers to a fiber mainly composed of copper. In addition, when the main component is a metal, it contains unavoidable impurities, and a certain amount of components other than the metal may be contained as long as the effect of the present invention is not hindered. In addition, "thermal conductivity (W/(m・K))" is the value measured by the laser flash method (For example, the laser flash thermal constant measuring apparatus "TC7000 type" manufactured by ULVAC-RIKO Co., Ltd.). Furthermore, the so-called "average fiber diameter" refers to the arithmetic mean value of the area diameter derived by calculating the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the long side direction of the metal fiber based on the vertical cross-section of the metal fiber sheet taken by the microscope at multiple locations, and calculating the diameter of a perfect circle having the same area as the cross-sectional area. Here, the plurality of places can be set to 20 places, for example. Furthermore, the so-called "average fiber length" refers to measuring the length value of the fiber long side direction for a plurality of randomly selected fibers in the microscope image, and then calculating the arithmetic mean value of the value. In addition, when the fiber is not linear, the length along the curve of the fiber is assumed. Here, the plurality of branches can be set to 20, for example. Furthermore, the so-called "occupancy rate" refers to the proportion of the fiber portion in the volume of the fiber sheet, which is calculated from the basis weight, thickness and true density of the fiber of the fiber sheet by the following formula. Here, when the fiber sheet contains a plurality of kinds of fibers, the occupation rate can be calculated by using the actual density value reflecting the composition ratio of each fiber. (Occupancy rate (%))=(fiber sheet basis weight)/((fiber sheet thickness)×(true density))×100. Here, the term "sheet thickness" refers to the arithmetic mean value when measuring the measurement points of, for example, metal fiber sheets with a terminal drop-type film thickness meter (for example, "Digital Gauge ID-C112X" manufactured by Mitutoyo Co., Ltd.) using air. The so-called "homogeneity" means that the electrical characteristics, physical characteristics and air permeability characteristics of the sheet made of fibers vary little within the sheet. As an index of homogeneity, for example, the coefficient of variation (CV (Coefficient of Variation) value) of the basis weight prescribed in JIS Z8101 per 1 cm ² can be used. The so-called "void ratio" refers to the ratio of voids to the volume of the fiber sheet, and is calculated from the basis weight and thickness of the fiber sheet and the actual density of the fiber by the following formula. When the fiber sheet contains multiple types of fibers, the occupation rate can be calculated by using the actual density value reflecting the composition ratio of each fiber. (Porosity (%))=(1-(fiber sheet basis weight)/((fiber sheet thickness)×(true density)))×100. The heating medium used in the temperature adjustment unit of the present invention can be gas or liquid, and the relevant properties are not limited. That is, the heating medium used in the temperature adjustment unit of the present invention can be a gas such as air, a liquid such as water or alcohol, or a fluorine compound such as hydrofluorocarbon or hydrofluoroether.

＜Embodiment 1＞ FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a temperature adjustment unit 1 according to this embodiment. The temperature adjustment unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with the temperature adjustment mechanism 3 through which the heating medium passes, and the heating medium inlet port and the heating medium discharge port which are not shown in figure. In the temperature adjustment mechanism 3, the heating medium is introduced from the outside through the heating medium inlet, and the heating medium is discharged to the outside from the heating medium discharge port. In addition, it is preferable to install a static mixer in the heating medium inlet so that the introduced heating medium can be diffused in a turbulent flow. In addition, examples of heating medium systems include water, air, and fluorine-based solvents.

The temperature regulating mechanism 3 is equipped with: a metal fiber sheet 6 composed of metal fibers, a container 5 that accommodates the metal fiber sheet 6 and is closed by a heat exchange plate 7, and a heat exchange plate 7; one main surface of the heat exchange plate 7 is exposed to the outside, and heat exchange between the metal fiber sheet 6 and the outside is performed by contacting the back side of the one main surface with the metal fiber sheet 6.

The metal fiber sheet 6 may be composed of metal fibers alone, or may contain components other than metal fibers. The metal component of the metal fiber can be exemplified, for example, copper, stainless steel, iron, aluminum, nickel, chromium, and precious metals. Among them, copper, stainless steel, and aluminum are preferable, and copper is more preferable. This is due to the excellent balance of rigidity and plastic deformation of copper fibers. In addition, examples of the noble metal system include gold, platinum, silver, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium. Furthermore, components other than the metal fibers contained in the metal fiber sheet 6 can be exemplified such as: polyethylene terephthalate (PET: Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA: Poly-Vinyl Alcohol), polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride (PVC: Poly-Vinyl Chloride), polyamide and acrylic acid, and organic substances that provide binding and supporting properties to fibrous objects. Especially when the metal fiber sheet 6 is a non-woven fabric in which a plurality of metal fibers are randomly intertwined, by containing any one or a plurality of these organic substances, it can assist or improve the shape maintenance and functionality of the metal fiber sheet 6 during production.

In the metal fiber sheet 6, it is preferable that a plurality of adjacent metal fibers are bonded. That is, in the metal fiber sheet 6, it is preferable to physically fix a plurality of metal fibers and to form a bonding portion between the plurality of metal fibers. The metal fiber sheet 6 can directly fix the plurality of metal fibers by the bonding part, or indirectly fix them. It is preferable to form a gap in at least a part of the plurality of metal fibers constituting the metal fiber sheet 6 . The reason is that if such voids are formed in the metal fiber sheet 6 , introduction of a heating medium into the metal fiber sheet 6 described later becomes easier. Furthermore, if the plurality of metal fibers are sintered at the bonded portion, the thermal conductivity and homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6 will be stable, which is preferable. The voids formed between a plurality of metal fibers can also be formed by interlacing metal fibers. In addition, the porosity of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably not less than 5% and not more than 99%, more preferably not less than 10% and not more than 98%. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably above 5 W/(m·K).

Furthermore, the metal fiber sheet 6 is based on the premise of a sheet structure, and can be a non-woven fabric in which a plurality of metal fibers are randomly intertwined, or a regular woven fabric or mesh material. In addition, the surface of the metal fiber sheet 6 may be flat, or may be corrugated in a concave-convex shape.

The basis weight of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably not less than 10 g/m ² and not more than 1000 g/m ² . If the basis weight of the metal fiber sheet 6 is set above 10 g/m ² , the cooling or heating effect can be improved; if the basis weight of the metal fiber sheet 6 is set below 1000 g/m ² , the weight of the metal fiber sheet 6 can be reduced.

However, if the average fiber diameter of the metal fibers of the metal fiber sheet 6 is less than 1 μm, the rigidity of the metal fibers decreases, and agglomeration tends to occur during the production of the metal fiber sheet 6, resulting in unstable thermal conductivity and homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6. On the other hand, when the average fiber diameter of the metal fibers of the metal fiber sheet 6 exceeds 30 μm, the rigidity of the metal fibers is too high, making it difficult to entangle. Therefore, the average fiber diameter of the metal fibers of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably not less than 1 μm and not more than 30 μm, more preferably not less than 2 μm and not more than 20 μm. Furthermore, when the metal fiber sheet 6 is a non-woven fabric in which a plurality of metal fibers are randomly intertwined, in order to stabilize the thermal conductivity and homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6, the average fiber length of the metal fibers of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably more than 1 mm and less than 10 mm.

Furthermore, if the aspect ratio of the metal fibers of the metal fiber sheet 6 is less than 33, the metal fibers will not be easily entangled. On the other hand, when the aspect ratio of the metal fiber of the metal fiber sheet 6 exceeds 10000, the homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6 will fall. Therefore, the aspect ratio of the metal fiber is preferably not less than 33 and not more than 10000.

Furthermore, if the occupancy rate of the metal fiber sheet 6 is less than 2%, the pressure loss at the time of introducing the heating medium is suppressed, and on the other hand, the cooling or heating effect is reduced due to insufficient fiber amount. On the other hand, when the occupation ratio of the metal fiber sheet 6 exceeds 65%, the pressure loss at the time of introduction of the heating medium increases. Therefore, the floor area ratio of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably at least 2%, more preferably at least 4%, and more preferably at least 5%; preferably less than 65%, more preferably less than 60%.

Furthermore, in order to improve the homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6, the CV value of the coefficient of variation of the basis weight specified in JIS Z8101 per 1 cm ² of the metal fiber sheet 6 is preferably 10% or less.

The manufacturing method of the metal fiber sheet 6 is not limited to a specific method. The manufacturing method when the metal fiber sheet 6 is a mesh material or weaving cloth can use plain weaving in which metal wires intersect one by one, or can also use woven weaving in which metal wires arranged vertically and metal wires arranged horizontally cross each other more than two at a time. Alternatively, drape, flat drape or damask drape can also be used. Alternatively, when the metal fiber sheet 6 is a mesh material, the metal wires can be welded in a crossed state without braiding. The manufacturing method when the metal fiber sheet 6 is a nonwoven fabric is, for example, a method of papermaking by a wet papermaking method. In the wet papermaking method, a slurry made of metal fibers and the like dispersed in an aqueous medium is used, and wet papermaking is performed using a paper machine. Here, additives such as fillers, dispersants, tackifiers, defoamers, paper strengthening agents, sizing agents, coagulants, colorants, and fixatives may also be contained in the slurry. Furthermore, a fiber entanglement treatment step of entanglement of a plurality of metal fibers may be performed on the wet body sheet obtained by the wet sheet-making method. The fiber entanglement treatment step can be, for example, a method of spraying a high-pressure jet of water toward one main surface of the wet sheet. According to this method, metal fibers or fibers containing metal fibers can be entangled across the entire wet body sheet. After the wet body sheet is subjected to a fiber intertwining treatment step, it is then passed through a dryer step for drying with hot air. The dryer step is preferably carried out in an inert gas environment using a reduced-pressure sintering furnace. The sheets after the dryer step are coiled after cooling to normal temperature.

The sheet obtained through the fiber intertwining treatment step and the drying machine step may also be subjected to a stamping step before bonding the plurality of metal fibers. According to the punching step, excessive voids existing among the plurality of metal fibers can be reduced, so that the homogeneity can be improved. Furthermore, by adjusting the pressure during the stamping step, the thickness of the metal fiber sheet 6 can also be adjusted.

In addition, as mentioned above, it is preferable to sinter the bonded portion between the plurality of metal fibers by the sintering step. According to the sintering step, the bonding between the plurality of metal fibers can be reliably implemented, and the plurality of metal fibers are fixed, so that the CV value of the basis weight of the metal fiber sheet 6 is stable, and the homogeneity and thermal conductivity of the metal fiber sheet 6 are stable.

Furthermore, the metal fiber sheet 6 after the sintering step is preferably further subjected to a stamping step. Here, if the stamping step is further performed after the sintering step, the homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6 can be further improved, and the thickness of the metal fiber sheet 6 can be reduced. Furthermore, according to the pressing step after the sintering step, the metal fibers move not only in the thickness direction of the metal fiber sheet 6 but also in the surface direction. Thereby, the metal fibers are arranged even in the places where there are voids during sintering, so that the homogeneity of the metal fiber sheet 6 can be improved, and this state can be maintained by utilizing the plastic deformability of the metal fibers.

In addition, as the manufacturing method when the metal fiber sheet 6 is a nonwoven fabric, a dry method in which a sheet is subjected to compression molding can also be used. The dry method uses the carding method and the air-laid method to produce a fiber web mainly composed of metal fibers, and then compresses the fiber web. During compression molding, the binder can also be impregnated into the plurality of metal fibers to combine the plurality of metal fibers. Here, examples of the binder system include organic binders such as acrylic adhesives and inorganic binders such as colloidal silica.

The housing body 5 is a structure housing the metal fiber sheet 6 . The material of the container 5 can be illustrated, for example, metal and ceramics. Here, examples of metal materials include stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. Furthermore, examples of ceramic materials include alumina, zirconium, barium titanate, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and aluminum nitride.

The heat exchange plate 7 is a member that includes a temperature-adjusting surface on one main surface, and adjoins the metal fiber sheet 6 on the back of the temperature-adjusting surface, and performs heat exchange between the temperature-adjusting surface and the metal fiber sheet 6 . The material of the heat exchange plate 7 is preferably a material with high thermal conductivity, and the material with high thermal conductivity can be, for example, stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. Furthermore, if the sintering step is performed in a state adjacent to the metal fiber sheet 6 on the heat exchange plate 7, the metal fiber sheet 6 and the heat exchange plate 7 can be bonded, which is preferable. The reason is that if the metal fiber sheet 6 and the heat exchange plate 7 are bonded, the heat conduction between the metal fiber sheet 6 and the heat exchange plate 7 is relatively easy. The sintering step is preferably carried out in an inert gas environment using a reduced-pressure sintering furnace.

In addition, between the housing body 5 and the heat exchange plate 7, a sealing member which is a member formed by joining these bonding materials is disposed. As such a bonding material, a metallic bonding material or an organic bonding material can be used. Examples of metal bonding materials include silver wax, phosphor copper wax, solder, and copper foil. The metal bonding material preferably has a thermal conductivity of 50W/(m·K) or more and a thickness of 100μm or less. Examples of organic bonding materials include thermosetting epoxy, urethane, and polysiloxane. Since the thermal conductivity of the organic bonding material is as low as less than 1 W/(m·K), it is preferable to be thin from the viewpoint of thermal conductivity, and the thickness is preferably 20 μm or less. The sealing member is preferably bonded to the heat exchange plate 7 and the container 5 by sintering or thermosetting reaction with the container 5 placed on the metal fiber sheet 6 bonded to the heat exchange plate 7 .

The temperature adjustment unit 1 shown in Fig. 1, if the pressure of the heating medium introduced is increased, although the heat transferred by the heating medium is increased, the temperature adjustment effect of the cooling effect or the heating effect is improved, but if the pressure of the heating medium in the storage body 5 is increased, the temperature adjustment unit may be deformed. Here, a reinforcing member is provided in the temperature regulation unit of this embodiment.

In the temperature regulation unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 , the reinforcement member 10 is superimposed on the upper surface of the container 5 belonging to one main surface of the temperature regulation mechanism 3 . The material of the reinforcing member 10 can be exemplified by, for example, aluminum, copper, alumite, stainless steel, and resin. Here, if the material of the reinforcing member 10 is a material with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, anti-corrosion aluminum or stainless steel, then when the temperature regulating unit of the present invention is used for cooling purposes, it is better to dissipate heat from the entire temperature regulating unit 1 covered by the reinforcing member 10.

Furthermore, a gap may also be formed between the temperature adjustment unit 1 and the reinforcing member 10, preferably an organic film is disposed. In the temperature adjustment unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 , the deformation of the upper surface can be mainly suppressed by the reinforcing member 10 stacked on the outer side of the storage body 5 .

However, in the temperature regulation unit of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the reinforcing member is not limited to the form in which the reinforcing member is stacked on one main surface. Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a first modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the present embodiment. In the temperature regulation unit 1a shown in FIG. 2, the only difference is that the reinforcement member 10 of the temperature regulation unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with a reinforcement member 10a, and the rest are the same.

In the temperature adjustment unit 1a shown in FIG. 2, the reinforcing member 10a is arranged to cover at least a side portion of the cubic temperature adjustment mechanism 3 that is substantially perpendicular to one main surface. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 10a also covers a part of a main surface of the temperature regulating mechanism 3 . The reinforcing member 10a differs from the reinforcing member 10 only in shape. The temperature regulation unit 1a shown in FIG. 2 is fixed by a reinforcing member 10a to prevent deformation of the temperature regulation unit 1a as a whole.

In addition, in the temperature regulation unit 1a shown in FIG. 2, by thinning the temperature regulation mechanism 3 of the portion covered by the reinforcement member 10a, the thickness of the temperature regulation unit 1a provided with the reinforcement member 10a can also be made uniform.

However, the temperature adjustment unit of this embodiment is not limited to the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a second modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the present embodiment. In the temperature regulation unit 1b shown in FIG. 3, the only difference is that the reinforcement member 10 of the temperature regulation unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with a reinforcement member 10b, and the rest are the same.

In the temperature adjustment unit 1b shown in FIG. 3 , the reinforcing member 10b is arranged so as to cover the entire surface of the temperature adjustment mechanism 3 . The reinforcing member 10b differs from the reinforcing member 10 only in shape. The temperature adjustment unit 1b shown in FIG. 3 uses a reinforcing member 10b to suppress overall deformation.

Furthermore, in the temperature regulation unit 1b shown in FIG. 3, if the reinforcing member 10b is formed of a material with high thermal conductivity, when the temperature regulation unit of the present invention is used for cooling purposes, heat can be dissipated from the entire surface of the temperature regulation unit 1b, and the heat dissipation efficiency can be improved. A material system with high thermal conductivity can be exemplified by metal.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the deformation due to the pressure of the heating medium in the container is suppressed, and a temperature adjustment unit having a high temperature adjustment effect can be obtained.

＜Embodiment 2＞ In this embodiment, the heat-insulating part of the container is covered to suppress the deformation caused by the pressure of the heating medium in the container, and to insulate the rest of the surface other than the heat exchange plate to achieve a high temperature-regulating effect.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the temperature adjustment unit 1c of this embodiment. The difference of the temperature regulation unit 1c shown in FIG. 4 is that instead of the temperature regulation mechanism 3 of the temperature regulation unit 1 shown in FIG.

The temperature regulating mechanism 3c is equipped with: a metal fiber sheet 6c made of metal fibers, a housing body 5c for accommodating the metal fiber sheet 6c and closed by a heat exchange plate 7, and a heat exchange plate 7; the heat exchange plate 7 is exposed to the outside with one main surface, and the back side of the main surface is adjacent to the metal fiber sheet 6 to perform heat exchange between the metal fiber sheet 6c and the outside. The metal fiber sheet 6c is different from the metal fiber sheet 6 only at the end portion which is thinner than the metal fiber sheet 6 . The container 5c is different from the container 5 only in that the end portion is deformed along the shape of the metal fiber sheet 6c.

The reinforcing member 10c is a structural body that reinforces the temperature-conditioning unit 1c and can be insulated. The material system of the reinforcing member 10c can be illustrated, for example, by resin. Furthermore, examples of the resin material system include polyacrylic resin, polyvinylpyrrolidone resin, polyester resin, polypropylene resin, fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene; polyimide resin, polyamide resin, and poly-p-phenylbenzobisoxazole resin. The reinforcement member 10c may be insulated using mineral wool or the like, which is a known heat insulating material, after being formed from the above-mentioned materials.

In the temperature adjustment unit 1c shown in FIG. 4, the reinforcement member 10c is arranged to cover all the other surfaces of the temperature adjustment mechanism 3c except the surface on which the heat exchange plate 7 is installed. In the temperature control unit 1c shown in FIG. 4, the other surfaces other than the surface on which the heat exchange plate 7 is disposed can be insulated by the reinforcement member 10c, and deformation can be suppressed.

However, the temperature adjustment unit of this embodiment is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 4 . Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a first modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the present embodiment. The difference of the temperature regulation unit 1d shown in FIG. 5 is that the screw 11 belonging to the rod-shaped member is added to the temperature regulation unit 1c shown in FIG. 4 , and the rest are the same. In addition, examples of the rod-shaped member include screws, pins, and welding materials.

The temperature adjustment unit 1d shown in FIG. 5 is inserted into at least a part of the housing body 5c, the metal fiber sheet 6c and the heat exchange plate 7 by screws 11 at the position of the thinner end of the metal fiber sheet 6c. In the temperature regulation unit 1d shown in FIG. 5 , like the temperature regulation unit 1c shown in FIG. 4 , the reinforcing member 10c is used to insulate the rest of the surface other than the surface on which the heat exchange plate 7 is disposed, and suppress deformation, thereby suppressing peeling between the container 5c and the metal fiber sheet 6c, and between the metal fiber sheet 6c and the heat exchange plate 7.

However, the temperature adjustment unit of this embodiment is not limited to the form shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 . Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a second modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the present embodiment. The difference of the temperature adjustment unit 1e shown in FIG. 6 is that the nut 12 and the reinforcement member 10e are added to the temperature adjustment unit 1d shown in FIG. 5 , and the rest are the same. As for the material system of the reinforcement member 10e, a metal material can be illustrated, for example. Furthermore, the screw 11 and the nut 12 are screw-locked. In the temperature regulation unit 1e shown in FIG. 6, like the temperature regulation unit 1d shown in FIG. 5, the reinforcing member 10e is used to insulate the rest of the surface other than the surface on which the heat exchange plate 7 is disposed, and suppress deformation, so that the separation between the storage body 5c and the metal fiber sheet 6c, and between the metal fiber sheet 6c and the heat exchange plate 7 can be more reliably suppressed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the remaining surface other than the surface on which the heat exchange plate is arranged is insulated, the deformation due to the pressure of the heating medium in the container is suppressed, and the temperature adjustment unit is obtained with a high temperature adjustment effect.

＜Embodiment 3＞ This embodiment will describe a temperature adjustment unit having a high temperature adjustment effect by providing a metal member in the temperature adjustment unit to suppress deformation due to the pressure of the heating medium in the container.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the temperature adjustment unit 1f of this embodiment. The difference of the temperature regulation unit 1f shown in FIG. 7 is that the reinforcing member 13 is provided for the temperature regulation mechanism 3 of the temperature regulation unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 , and the rest are the same. The reinforcing member 13 is inserted into the temperature adjustment mechanism 3, for example. The reinforcing member 13 is a plate-shaped or rod-shaped member that functions as a column or a beam in the temperature adjustment unit 1f. As for the material system of the reinforcement member 13, a metal material can be illustrated, for example. In the temperature adjustment unit 1f shown in FIG. 7, the reinforcement member 13 can suppress deformation caused by the pressure of the heating medium in the container, and improve the mechanical strength inside the temperature adjustment unit 1f.

However, the temperature adjustment unit of this embodiment is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 7 . Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the present embodiment. The difference of the temperature regulation unit 1g shown in FIG. 8 is that the reinforcing member 14 is provided for the temperature regulation mechanism 3 of the temperature regulation unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 , and the rest are the same. The reinforcing member 14 is inserted into the temperature adjustment mechanism 3, for example.

The reinforcing member 14 is a member functioning as a column or a beam in the temperature adjustment unit 1g. The reinforcing member 14 is different from the reinforcing member 13 and also extends to the outside of the container 5 to increase the mechanical strength of the surface on which the container 5 is disposed. In the temperature regulation unit 1g shown in FIG. 8, the same as the temperature regulation unit 1f shown in FIG. 7 by using the reinforcing member 14, the deformation caused by the pressure of the heating medium in the container can be suppressed, and the mechanical strength inside the temperature regulation unit 1g can be improved, and the mechanical strength of the surface on which the container 5 is disposed can also be improved.

In addition, the reinforcing member 14 at the portion adjacent to the heat exchange plate 7 may be bonded to the heat exchange plate 7 by welding or thermosetting adhesive. Alternatively, the reinforcing member 14 may be screw-locked by a screw-lock member as in FIG. 6 .

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a temperature control unit that suppresses deformation due to the pressure of the heating medium in the container, has high internal mechanical strength, and has a high temperature control effect.

In addition, the temperature adjustment units of the above-mentioned Embodiments 1 to 3 are equipped with metal fiber sheets, but porous metals may be provided instead, and the metal fiber sheets and porous metals may be collectively regarded as a metal porous body. Furthermore, the metal fiber sheet also includes: metal fiber non-woven fabric, metal fiber woven fabric and metal mesh.

In addition, the heat exchange plate 7 of the above-mentioned embodiments 1 to 3 includes a temperature adjustment object surface, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and instead of the heat exchange plate 7, a plate-shaped member that does not perform heat exchange can be provided instead, and the temperature adjustment object surface is included on the container side. Alternatively, the heat exchange plate may include a surface to be adjusted for temperature, and the container may also include a surface to be adjusted for temperature. In this case, the surfaces to be adjusted for temperature may be formed on both sides of the temperature adjustment unit. Alternatively, the temperature regulation unit of the present invention may not be equipped with a plate-shaped member. When the plate-shaped member is not provided, one or more main surfaces of the container will be exposed outside the temperature regulation mechanism. If the inner side of the main surface is in contact with the porous metal body, the part of the container containing the main surface will perform the function of heat exchange between the porous metal body and the outside.

Furthermore, various combinations of the above-mentioned embodiments are also included in the present invention. For example, the configuration of Embodiment 2 and the configuration of Embodiment 3 may be combined.

1,1a,1b,1c,1d,1e,1f,1g: temperature control unit 3,3c: temperature adjustment mechanism 5,5c: containment body 6,6c: metal fiber sheet 7: Heat exchange plate 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 13, 14: reinforcement members 11: screw 12: Nut

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of a temperature adjustment unit according to Embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of a first modification of the temperature adjustment unit of the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a partial cross section of a second modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the first embodiment. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of a temperature adjustment unit according to Embodiment 2. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of a first modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a partial cross-section of a second modification example of the temperature adjustment unit of the second embodiment. Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of a temperature adjustment unit according to Embodiment 3. Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modified example of the temperature adjustment unit of the third embodiment.

1: Temperature adjustment unit

3: Temperature adjustment mechanism

5: Containment body

6: Metal fiber sheet

7: Heat exchange plate

10: Reinforcing member

Claims (4)

A temperature regulation unit is equipped with a temperature regulation mechanism through which a heating medium passes; the temperature regulation mechanism has: a metal porous body; a medium inlet; and a heating medium discharge port for discharging the heating medium to the outside; the reinforcing member is stacked on the outside of the storage body, and the reinforcement member is a member that reinforces the storage body and suppresses deformation of the storage body. The temperature control unit according to claim 1, wherein the metal porous system includes a metal fiber sheet composed of metal fibers. The temperature adjustment unit according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is arranged to cover a side portion of the cubic temperature adjustment mechanism that is substantially perpendicular to one main surface. The temperature adjustment unit according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is configured to cover the entire surface of the temperature adjustment mechanism.