Thermoelectric module unit

Details Thermoelectric module unit Thermoelectric module unit

1999-09-23

2001-05-22

Buiz, Michael (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

Using electrical or magnetic effect

Thermoelectric; e.g., peltier effect

Reexamination Certificate

active

06233944

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a thermoelectric module unit provided with a thermoelectric semiconductor element, such as a Peltier element, and a heat pipe.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thermoelectric elements that use thermoelectric semiconductor elements made of compounds such as bismuth/tellurium compounds, iron/silicon compounds, or cobalt/antimony compounds are used in applications such as cooling/heating devices. Such a thermoelectric element is convenient as a cooling/heating source that does not use liquids or gases, takes up little space, is not subject to rotational friction, and does not require maintenance.
The structure of a thermoelectric module that is known in the prior art is shown in
FIGS. 11A and 11B
. In this case,
FIG. 11A
is a front view and
FIG. 11B
is a perspective view. As shown in these figures, thermoelectric semiconductor elements
33
consisting of n-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements and p-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements are arrayed alternately, and upper and lower surfaces of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements
33
are connected to metal electrodes
32
and metal electrodes
34
, respectively. The thermoelectric semiconductor elements
33
are connected alternately by the upper and lower surfaces thereof to the metal electrodes
32
and the metal electrodes
34
, so that all of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements
33
are eventually connected electrically in series. The connections between the upper and lower metal electrodes
32
and
34
and the thermoelectric semiconductor elements
33
are performed by soldering. The metal electrodes
32
and
34
at these upper and lower surfaces are connected onto metallized ceramic substrates
31
and
33
, respectively, to fix the entire assembly together.
A DC power source is connected to the electrodes of this thermoelectric module. When a current flows in the direction from each n-type thermoelectric semiconductor element to a p-type thermoelectric semiconductor element, the Peltier effect ensures that heat is absorbed by the upper portion of each &pgr; shape and heat is emitted from the lower portion thereof. In other words, each &pgr;-shaped upper portion acts as an absorbing-side cold junction (CJ) and each lower portion thereof acts as a radiating-side hot junction (HJ) as shown in FIG.
11
A. Reversing the connection direction of the power source changes the directions in which heat is absorbed and emitted. This phenomenon is utilized so that the thermoelectric element can be used in a cooling/heating device. Such a thermoelectric module is useful in a wide range of applications, from the cooling of devices such as large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs), computer central processing units (CPUs), and lasers, to use in insulated refrigerators.
If such a thermoelectric module is used as a cooling device, it is necessary to disperse heat efficiently from the heat-radiating side. Methods that are used in the art for dispersing heat from the heat-radiating side of a thermoelectric module include an air-cooling method wherein radiator fins
41
are attached to the heat-radiating side of the thermoelectric module and wind from a fan
42
is directed towards these radiator fins
41
, as shown in
FIG. 12A
, and a liquid-cooling method wherein a liquid-cooling jacket
51
is attached to the heat-radiating side of the thermoelectric module and a coolant passes from a liquid inlet
52
of this liquid-cooling jacket
51
to a liquid outlet
53
thereof, as shown in FIG.
12
B. Note that the hollow arrows in
FIG. 12A
indicate the flow of air and the solid arrows in
FIG. 12B
indicate the flow of coolant. In both
FIGS. 12A and 12B
, CL denotes a cooling load.
However, since the thermoelectric semiconductor elements in each of these cooling devices are cooled indirectly through a ceramic substrate on the lower sides thereof, the heat cannot be dispersed efficiently from the heat-radiating side of the thermoelectric module. In addition, the ceramic substrates that are fixed above and below the thermoelectric module of
FIG. 11
form a rigid structure, so that large thermal stresses are inevitably applied to the thermoelectric semiconductor elements during operation, and thus the lifetime of these thermoelectric semiconductor elements is short.
The present inventors have already proposed a thermoelectric module, together with a thermoelectric cooling unit that uses this thermoelectric module, in which thermal stresses on the thermoelectric semiconductor element are alleviated by directly cooling the heat-radiating side of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements and the metal electrodes that are connected thereto, to disperse heat efficiently from the heat-radiating side, and also by making the structure a double-sided skeleton structure (Japanese Patent Application No. 8-354136).
In the previously proposed thermoelectric cooling unit, the heat-radiating side of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements and the metal electrodes connected thereto are cooled directly, so that heat can be efficiently dispersed from the heat-radiating side and thus the capabilities of the thermoelectric semiconductor element can be fully utilized. Since the thermal stresses applied to the thermoelectric semiconductor elements are alleviated, a longer lifetime is achieved for the thermoelectric semiconductor elements.
An objective of this invention is to provide a thermoelectric module unit using a thermoelectric module of a double-sided skeleton structure, which enables an improvement in the heat-dispersion efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A thermoelectric module unit in accordance with this invention is provided with a thermoelectric module that comprises a partitioning plate, a thermoelectric semiconductor element fixed to the partitioning plate in a state passing through the partitioning plate but also in a state that is electrically insulated from the partitioning plate, a first metal electrode connected to a first surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor element, and a second metal electrode connected to a second surface of the thermoelectric semiconductor element; and a first confined portion which encloses a region from the partitioning plate towards the first surface and which is also connected to a first heat pipe; wherein an operating fluid is vacuum-sealed within the first confined portion and the first heat pipe.
In this thermoelectric module unit, a space of a sealed configuration is formed by the partitioning plate, the first heat pipe, and the first confined portion, and an operating fluid is vacuum-sealed therein. This operating fluid turns into steam when heated and thus absorbs heat by the latent heat of evaporation thereof. This steam moves at high speed towards a low-temperature portion. It is condensed by this low-temperature portion to become a liquid. During this process, heat is dispersed by the latent heat of condensation thereof. The operating fluid is returned to the heated portion by capillary action, and the cycle of steam generation/movement/condensation is repeated to transfer heat continuously.
The configuration could also be further provided with a second confined portion which encloses a region from the partitioning plate towards the second surface and which is also connected to a second heat pipe, wherein an operating fluid is vacuum-sealed into the second heat pipe. In such a case, if the first heat pipe is on a heat-radiating side, the second heat pipe is on a heat-absorbing side.
This thermoelectric module could be configured in such a manner that identical numbers of p-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements and n-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements are fixed to the partitioning plate, and also all of the thermoelectric semiconductor elements are connected electrically in series by the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode. The configuration could also be such that only one of a group of p-type thermoelectric semiconductor elements or a group of n-type thermoelectric semiconductor element is fixed to the p

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