U.S. patent application number 13/980430 was filed with the patent office on 2013-11-07 for thermoelectric device.
This patent application is currently assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI. The applicant listed for this patent is Wataru Kadowaki, Naoto Morisaku, Masaki Morita, Motoaki Okuda, Naoya Yokomachi. Invention is credited to Wataru Kadowaki, Naoto Morisaku, Masaki Morita, Motoaki Okuda, Naoya Yokomachi.
Application Number | 20130291921 13/980430 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45540919 |
Filed Date | 2013-11-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130291921 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Morita; Masaki ; et
al. |
November 7, 2013 |
THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE
Abstract
A thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric element module
arranged such that the vertically upper side is the cooling side
and the vertically lower side is the heating side. On the cooling
side of the thermoelectric element module, a DC-DC converter, a
cooler, and a heat-transfer grease layer are arranged in this order
from the vertically upper side.
Inventors: |
Morita; Masaki; (Toyota-shi,
JP) ; Kadowaki; Wataru; (Kariya-shi, JP) ;
Yokomachi; Naoya; (Kariya-shi, JP) ; Okuda;
Motoaki; (Kariya-shi, JP) ; Morisaku; Naoto;
(Kariya-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Morita; Masaki
Kadowaki; Wataru
Yokomachi; Naoya
Okuda; Motoaki
Morisaku; Naoto |
Toyota-shi
Kariya-shi
Kariya-shi
Kariya-shi
Kariya-shi |
|
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA
JIDOSHOKKI
Kariya-shi, Aichi-ken
JP
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken
JP
|
Family ID: |
45540919 |
Appl. No.: |
13/980430 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
January 13, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2012/000034 |
371 Date: |
July 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
136/204 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 23/38 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; F25B 21/02 20130101; H01L 2924/0002
20130101; B60H 1/00478 20130101; H01L 35/28 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
136/204 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2011 |
JP |
2011-011441 |
Claims
1-5. (canceled)
6. A thermoelectric device, comprising: an electronic device; a
cooler that cools the electronic device; a first grease layer; and
a thermoelectric element that is arranged such that a vertically
upper side of the thermoelectric element is a cooling side and a
vertically lower side of the thermoelectric element is a heating
side, wherein the electronic device, the cooler, the first grease
layer, and the thermoelectric element are arranged in this order
from the vertically upper side toward the vertically lower
side.
7. The thermoelectric device according to claim 6, further
comprising: a second grease layer; a heater that is heated by the
thermoelectric element via the second grease layer; and a
heat-insulating layer, wherein the thermoelectric element, the
second grease layer, the heater, and the heat-insulating layer are
arranged in this order from the vertically upper side toward the
vertically lower side.
8. A thermoelectric air-conditioner for a vehicle, comprising the
thermoelectric device according to claim 6.
9. The thermoelectric device according to claim 6, wherein the
electronic device is a DC-DC converter.
10. The thermoelectric device according to claim 9, wherein the
DC-DC converter adjusts drive voltage for driving the
thermoelectric element.
11. The thermoelectric device according to claim 6, wherein the
electronic device is an inverter for a motor, which adjusts drive
voltage for driving the motor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a thermoelectric device that cools
an electronic device using a temperature difference created by the
Peltier effect of a thermoelectric element.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] In order to promote efficient use of the heat in vehicles,
installation of thermoelectric devices, which use phenomena that
associate the heat of thermoelectric elements with electricity such
as the Seebeck effect, the Peltier effect and the Tomson effect, in
the vehicles has been considered.
[0005] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-51952
(JP-A-2005-51952) describes an example of the above-described
thermoelectric devices. The thermoelectric device described in
JP-A-2005-51952 generates electricity by converting the heat of
exhaust gas into electricity using the Seebeck effect of a
thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric device is structured
such that a heating portion of a thermoelectric element module, a
cooling portion of the thermoelectric element module, a
water-cooling cooler that cools the cooling portion of the
thermoelectric element, and a DC-DC converter that converts an
output of the thermoelectric element into electricity are arranged
in this order from an exhaust pipe.
[0006] In order to reduce the contact thermal resistance between
the exhaust pipe and the cooler, and the thermoelectric element
module, grease layers (heat-transfer grease layers) may be provided
between the exhaust pipe and the cooler, and the thermoelectric
element module. If air enters the heat-transfer grease layers, the
heat resistance increases, resulting in a reduction of the
efficiency of the thermoelectric device. Accordingly, air is
expelled from the heat-transfer grease layers by applying pressure
through tightening of a bolt. In this way, an increase in the heat
resistance is suppressed. However, in order to apply pressure
through tightening of a bolt, it is necessary to perform a work for
tightening the bolt during installation of the thermoelectric
device, resulting in a reduction of the installation
efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention provides a thermoelectric device in which
entrance of air into a heat-transfer grease layer is suppressed
without tightening of a bolt.
[0008] A first aspect of the invention relates to a thermoelectric
device. The thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric element
arranged such that the vertically upper side is the cooling side
and the vertically lower side is the heating side. On the cooling
side of the thermoelectric element, an electronic device that is an
object to be cooled, a cooler, and a first heat-transfer grease
layer are arranged in this order from the vertically upper
side.
[0009] With the structure described above, pressure is applied to
the first heat-transfer grease layer under the weight of the
electronic device. Therefore, it is possible to suppress entrance
of air into the first heat-transfer grease layer without performing
tightening of a bolt.
[0010] The electronic device may be a DC-DC converter. Other
examples of the electronic device may include any in-vehicle
electronic devices that need to be cooled. The DC-DC converter may
be a converter that adjusts the drive voltage for driving the
thermoelectric element.
[0011] In the thermoelectric device, on the heating side of the
thermoelectric element, a second heat-transfer grease layer, a
heater, and a heat-insulating layer are arranged in this order from
the vertically upper side.
[0012] A second aspect of the invention relates to a thermoelectric
device. The thermoelectric device includes: an electronic device; a
cooler that cools the electronic device; a first grease layer; and
a thermoelectric element that is arranged such that the vertically
upper side of the thermoelectric element is the cooling side and
the vertically lower side of the thermoelectric element is the
heating side. In the thermoelectric device, the electronic device,
the cooler, the first grease layer, and the thermoelectric element
are arranged in this order from the vertically upper side toward
the vertically lower side.
[0013] The thermoelectric device may further include: a second
grease layer; a heater that is heated by the thermoelectric element
via the second grease layer; and a heat-insulating layer. In the
thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric element, the second
grease layer, the heater, and the heat-insulating layer are
arranged in this order from the vertically upper side toward the
vertically lower side.
[0014] A third aspect of the invention relates to a thermoelectric
air-conditioner for a vehicle. The thermoelectric air-conditioner
includes the thermoelectric device according to the first or second
aspect of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial
significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be
described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing the overall structure
of a thermoelectric air-conditioner to which a thermoelectric
device according to an embodiment of the invention is applied;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exploded
perspective structure of the thermoelectric device according to the
embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the perspective
structure of the thermoelectric device according to the
embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the side sectional
structure of a thermoelectric element module and portions near the
thermoelectric element module of the thermoelectric device
according to the embodiment; and
[0020] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the side sectional
structure of the thermoelectric element module of the
thermoelectric device according to the embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Hereafter, a thermoelectric device according to an
embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with
reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5.
[0022] A thermoelectric device 1 according to the embodiment is
provided in a vehicle thermoelectric air-conditioner as shown in
FIG. 1. The thermoelectric device 1 includes, as a main component,
a thermoelectric element module 2 that creates a temperature
difference using the Peltier effect of a thermoelectric element
(Peltier element). The thermoelectric element module 2 is arranged
such that the vertically upper side thereof is the cooling side and
the vertically lower side thereof is the heating side. A cooler 3
through which the cooling medium flows is arranged on the
vertically upper side (cooling side) of the thermoelectric element
module 2, and a DC-DC converter 4 that adjusts the drive voltage
for driving the thermoelectric element module 2 is arranged on the
cooler 3. A heater 5 through which the heating medium flows is
arranged on the vertically lower side (heating side) of the
thermoelectric element module 2.
[0023] The cooler 3 constitutes a cooling medium circulation
pathway through which the cooling medium is circulated between the
cooler 3 and a radiator 6 that radiates the heat of the cooling
medium into the outside air. The heater 5 constitutes a heating
medium circulation pathway through which the heating medium is
circulated between the heater 5 and a heater core 7 that warms the
air that is supplied into a vehicle compartment, using the heat of
the heating medium.
[0024] As shown in the exploded perspective structure in FIG. 2, on
the vertically upper side (cooling side) of the thermoelectric
element module 2 of the thermoelectric device 1, the DC-DC
converter 4, the cooler 3, and a heat-transfer grease layer 8 are
arranged in this order from the vertically upper side in the
vertical direction. In addition, on the vertically lower side
(heating side) of the thermoelectric element module 2, a
heat-transfer grease layer 9, the heater 5, and a heat-insulating
layer 10 are arranged in this order from the vertically upper side
in the vertical direction. The thermoelectric device 1 as shown in
FIG. 3 is formed by stacking these elements on top of another in
the above-described order.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 4, the thermoelectric element module 2 is
sandwiched between the cooler 3 and the heater 5 with the
heat-transfer grease layer 8 interposed between the thermoelectric
element module 2 and the cooler 3 and with the heat-transfer grease
layer 9 interposed between the thermoelectric element module 2 and
the heater 5. As shown in the side sectional structure of the
thermoelectric element module 2 in FIG. 5, a p-type semiconductor
11p and a n-type semiconductor 11n, which constitute the
thermoelectric element (Pertier element) of the thermoelectric
element module 2, are connected at the vertically upper side
(cooling side) thereof to an electrode 14 provided on an insulating
substrate 13, via solder 12. Further, the p-type semiconductor 11p
and the n-type semiconductor 11n are connected at the vertically
lower side (heating side) thereof to an electrode 17 provided on an
insulating substrate 16, via solder 15.
[0026] Next, the operation of the thus structured thermoelectric
device will be described. The cooler 3 through which the cooling
medium constantly flows is arranged at the cooling side of the
thermoelectric device 1. The DC-DC converter 4 provided on the top
face of the cooler 3 is cooled by the cooling medium.
[0027] The thermoelectric device 1 is driven by the drive voltage
adjusted by the DC-DC converter 4, and creates a temperature
difference between the cooling side and the heating side. More
specifically, in the thermoelectric device 1, the heat absorbed
from the cooling medium flowing through the cooler 3 at the cooling
side of the thermoelectric device 1 is transferred to the heating
side of the thermoelectric device 1. Thus, the thermoelectric
device 1 heats the heating medium flowing through the heater 5
arranged at the heating side of the thermoelectric device 1. The
thus heated heating medium is supplied to the heater core 7, and
the heat of the heating medium is used to warm the vehicle
compartment.
[0028] The thermoelectric device according to the embodiment
produces the following effects.
[0029] 1) In the thermoelectric device 1 according to the
embodiment, the thermoelectric element module 2 is arranged such
that the vertically upper side thereof is the cooling side and the
vertically lower side thereof is the heating side. On the cooling
side of the thermoelectric element module 2, the DC-DC converter 4,
the cooler 3, and the heat-transfer grease layer 8 are arranged in
this order from the vertically upper side in the vertical
direction. In addition, on the heating side of the thermoelectric
element module 2, the heat-transfer grease layer 9, the heater 5
and the heat-insulating layer 10 are arranged in this order from
the vertically upper side in the vertical direction. In the
thermoelectric device 1 according to the embodiment, pressure is
applied to the heat-transfer grease layers 8 and 9 under the weight
of the DC-DC converter 4. Therefore, it is possible to suppress
entrance of air into the heat-transfer grease layers 8 and 9
without tightening of a bolt.
[0030] 2) In the thermoelectric device 1 according to the
embodiment, the cooling medium constantly flows through the cooler
3 provided on the cooling side of the thermoelectric element module
2, and the DC-DC converter 4 is arranged on the top face of the
cooler 3. Therefore, it is possible to perform cooling of the DC-DC
converter 4 in conjunction with heat-exchange for air-conditioning
of the vehicle compartment.
[0031] 3) In the embodiment, because part of the heat lost from the
DC-DC converter 4 is absorbed by the thermoelectric element module
2, the cooling capacity required of the radiator 6 may be reduced
accordingly. Therefore, the size of the radiator 6 may be
reduced.
[0032] 4) In the embodiment, the thermoelectric element module 2
and the DC-DC converter 4 are located close to each other.
Therefore, the length of a wire is reduced, and the electric loss
is reduced accordingly.
[0033] The above-described embodiment may be modified as follows.
In the embodiment described above, on the heating side of the
thermoelectric element module 2, the heat-transfer grease layer 9,
the heater 5, and the heat-insulating layer 10 are arranged in this
order from the vertically upper side in the vertical direction.
However, the arrangement of the elements and layers on the heating
side of the thermoelectric element module 2 is not limited to this,
and may be changed as needed. As long as, the DC-DC converter 4,
the cooler 3, and the heat-transfer grease layer 8 are arranged, on
the cooling side of the thermoelectric element module 2, in this
order from the vertically upper side in the vertical direction, it
is possible to apply pressure to the heat-transfer grease layer 8
under the weight of the DC-DC converter 4, thereby suppressing
entrance of air into the grease layer 8.
[0034] In the embodiment described above, as an electronic device
that is an object to be cooled, the DC-DC converter 4 that adjusts
the drive voltage for driving the thermoelectric element module 2
is provided. However, the invention may be applied to structures in
which electronic devices other than a DC-DC converter, for example,
an inverter for a motor, which adjusts the drive voltage for
driving the motor, are provided as electronic devices that are
objects to be cooled.
[0035] In the above-described embodiment, the thermoelectric device
according to the invention is used in a thermoelectric
air-conditioner for a vehicle. However, the thermoelectric device
according to the invention may be adapted to other uses.
* * * * *