U.S. patent application number 15/533638 was filed with the patent office on 2017-11-16 for semiconductor refrigerator.
The applicant listed for this patent is QINGDAO HAIER JOINT STOCK CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to LISHENG JI, CHUNYANG LI, PENG LI, JIANRU LIU, FEIFEI QI, HAIBO TAO, KUI ZHANG.
Application Number | 20170328610 15/533638 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53453320 |
Filed Date | 2017-11-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170328610 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAO; HAIBO ; et al. |
November 16, 2017 |
SEMICONDUCTOR REFRIGERATOR
Abstract
The present invention is related to a semiconductor
refrigerator. The semiconductor refrigerator comprising a
semiconductor cooling plate and a hot end heat radiating device,
wherein the hot end heat radiating device comprises multiple
sintered heat pipes, each having a main pipe with both ends closed,
wherein the main pipe comprises a first pipe segment thermally
connected with a hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate, and a
second pipe segment, which is located above the first pipe segment,
and from whose one or more portions extend one or more manifolds to
radiate heat from the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate to
an ambient environment.
Inventors: |
TAO; HAIBO; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) ; ZHANG; KUI; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) ; LIU; JIANRU; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) ; LI; PENG; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) ; LI; CHUNYANG; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) ; QI; FEIFEI; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) ; JI; LISHENG; (Qingdao City,
Shandong Province, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
QINGDAO HAIER JOINT STOCK CO., LTD. |
Qingdao City, Shandong Province |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
53453320 |
Appl. No.: |
15/533638 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
September 29, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN2015/091094 |
371 Date: |
June 6, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 2321/0252 20130101;
F25B 21/02 20130101; F28F 2255/18 20130101; F28D 15/0266 20130101;
F25D 23/003 20130101; F25D 11/00 20130101; F28F 1/30 20130101; F28D
15/0275 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02; F25D 11/00 20060101 F25D011/00; F25D 23/00 20060101
F25D023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 3, 2015 |
CN |
201510055838.5 |
Claims
1. A semiconductor refrigerator, comprising a semiconductor cooling
plate and a hot end heat radiating device; wherein the hot end heat
radiating device comprises multiple sintered heat pipes, each
having a main pipe with both ends closed; wherein the main pipe
comprises a first pipe segment thermally connected with a hot end
of the semiconductor cooling plate, and a second pipe segment,
which is located above the first pipe segment, and from whose one
or more portions extend one or more manifolds to radiate heat from
the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate to an ambient
environment.
2. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first
pipe segment of the main pipe is formed by extending from a lower
end of the main pipe vertically upwards by a predetermined length;
and the first pipe segments of multiple main pipes are located in
the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane
being parallel with a rear wall of an inner tank of the
semiconductor refrigerator.
3. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the hot end
heat radiating device further comprises: a fixed bottom plate whose
front surface is thermally connected with the hot end of the
semiconductor cooling plate and whose rear surface is provided with
one or more grooves; and a fixed cover plate whose front surface is
provided with one or more grooves and which is configured to
cooperate with the fixed bottom plate to clamp the first pipe
segment of the main pipe between the grooves of the fixed cover
plate and of the fixed bottom plate.
4. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second
pipe segment of the main pipe is formed by extending from an upper
end of the main pipe vertically downwards by a predetermined
length, and the second pipe segments of multiple main pipes are
located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween,
the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the inner tank of
the semiconductor refrigerator; or the second pipe segment of the
main pipe is formed by extending from the upper end of the main
pipe longitudinally forwards by a predetermined length and then
vertically downwards by a predetermined length, the vertical
portions of the second pipe segments of the multiple main pipes are
located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween,
the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the inner tank of
the semiconductor refrigerator, and a starting end of the manifold
of the sintered heat pipe is located at the vertical portion of a
corresponding second pipe segment.
5. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the manifold
of the sintered heat pipe is perpendicular to the rear wall of the
inner tank.
6. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the manifolds
of each sintered heat pipe are located at the same side of the
corresponding main pipe, or are located at the opposite sides of
the corresponding main pipe respectively.
7. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the hot end
heat radiating device further comprises: one or two fin groups,
each fin group comprising multiple corresponding plate fins which
are arranged in parallel and with gaps therebetween, and each fin
group being installed at a manifold on a corresponding side of the
main pipe via pipe holes of the respective plate fins.
8. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the hot end
heat radiating device further comprises: a blower arranged at a
transverse side of or above the multiple manifolds and configured
such that an air inlet area of the blower sucks air flow and the
air flow is blown to a gap between each two adjacent plate fins, or
the air flow is sucked from the gap between each two adjacent plate
fins and is then blown to the air inlet area.
9. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 7, wherein the middle
portion of each plate fin is provided with a receiving through hole
so that each fin group defines a receiving space extending along
the axes of the receiving through holes; and the hot end heat
radiating device further comprises one or two blowers respectively
provided in the receiving spaces of the corresponding fin groups
and configured such that air flow is sucked from an air inlet area
of each blower and is blown to a gap between each two adjacent
plate fins of the corresponding fin group.
10. The semiconductor refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the hot end
heat radiating device further comprises: multiple spiral fins each
spirally installed on a corresponding manifold, and a blower
arranged at a transverse side of or above the multiple manifolds
such that the manifolds of each sintered heat pipe are located at
an air inlet area or an air sucking area of the blower.
Description
[0001] The present application claims the priority of the Chinese
patent application No. 201510055838.5 filed on Feb. 3, 2015 and
with the title of "Semiconductor Refrigerator", which is
incorporated herein in its entirety as reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention is related to a refrigerator, and more
particularly to a semiconductor refrigerator.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A semiconductor refrigerator, also called a thermoelectric
refrigerator, achieves refrigeration by using automatic
voltage-and-current changing techniques and semiconductor cooling
plates which radiate and transfer heat through highly efficient
two-layered loop heat pipes. A semiconductor refrigerator does not
require refrigerating working media and mechanically movable
members, and solves the application problems of a traditional
mechanical refrigerator such as contamination by working media and
mechanical vibrations.
[0004] When refrigerating by the cold end of a semiconductor
cooling plate, plenty of heat will be generated at the hot end
thereof. To ensure reliable and continuous working of the
semiconductor cooling plate, heat radiation is required for the hot
end thereof. However, in the prior arts, usually heat exchange with
an ambient environment is performed through heat pipes and heat
radiating plates when radiating the heat at the hot end of the
semiconductor cooling plate.
[0005] An existing sintered heat pipe extends from its one end to
the other along an exclusive path. When one end of the sintered
heat pipe is heated, the liquid in the capillary core is evaporated
and vaporized. The vapor flows to the other end due to a slight
pressure difference, emits heat and condenses into liquid again.
Then, the liquid flows to the evaporating segment again under the
capillary force along porous materials. This process cycles
endlessly, transferring the heat from one end to the other end of
the sintered heat pipe. However, existing sintered heat pipes may
not achieve desired effects when radiating heat for heat sources of
a high heat flow density such as semiconductor cooling plates.
SUMMARY
[0006] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least
one defect of an existing semiconductor refrigerator by providing a
semiconductor refrigerator with high heat radiation efficiency.
[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides
a semiconductor refrigerator comprising a semiconductor cooling
plate and a hot end heat radiating device, wherein the hot end heat
radiating device comprises multiple sintered heat pipes, each
having a main pipe with both ends closed, wherein the main pipe
comprises a first pipe segment thermally connected with a hot end
of the semiconductor cooling plate, and a second pipe segment,
which is located above the first pipe segment, and from whose one
or more portions extend one or more manifolds to radiate heat from
the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate to an ambient
environment.
[0008] Optionally, the first pipe segment of the main pipe is
formed by extending from a lower end of the main pipe vertically
upwards by a predetermined length, and the first pipe segments of
multiple main pipes are located in the same plane in parallel and
with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with a rear wall
of an inner tank of the semiconductor refrigerator.
[0009] Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further
comprises: a fixed bottom plate whose front surface is thermally
connected with the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate and
whose rear surface is provided with one or more grooves; and a
fixed cover plate whose front surface is provided with one or more
grooves and which is configured to cooperate with the fixed bottom
plate to clamp the first pipe segment of the main pipe between the
grooves of the fixed cover plate and of the fixed bottom plate.
[0010] Optionally, the second pipe segment of the main pipe is
formed by extending from an upper end of the main pipe vertically
downwards by a predetermined length, and the second pipe segments
of multiple main pipes are located in the same plane in parallel
and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear
wall of the inner tank of the semiconductor refrigerator; or the
second pipe segment of the main pipe is formed by extending from
the upper end of the main pipe longitudinally forwards by a
predetermined length and then vertically downwards by a
predetermined length, the vertical portions of the second pipe
segments of the multiple main pipes are located in the same plane
in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel
with the rear wall of the inner tank of the semiconductor
refrigerator, and a starting end of the manifold of the sintered
heat pipe is located at the vertical portion of a corresponding
second pipe segment.
[0011] Optionally, the manifold of the sintered heat pipe is
perpendicular to the rear wall of the inner tank.
[0012] Optionally, the manifolds of each sintered heat pipe are
located at the same side of the corresponding main pipe, or the
manifolds of each sintered heat pipe are located at the opposite
sides of the corresponding main pipe respectively.
[0013] Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further
comprises: one or two fin groups, each fin group comprising
multiple corresponding plate fins which are arranged in parallel
and with gaps therebetween, and each fin group being installed at a
manifold on a corresponding side of the main pipe via pipe holes of
the respective plate fins.
[0014] Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further
comprises: a blower arranged at a transverse side of or above the
multiple manifolds and configured such that an air inlet area of
the blower sucks air flow and the air flow is blown to a gap
between each two adjacent plate fins, or the air flow is sucked
from the gap between each two adjacent plate fins and is then blown
to the air inlet area.
[0015] Optionally, the middle portion of each plate fin is provided
with a receiving through hole so that each fin group defines a
receiving space extending along the axes of the receiving through
holes; the hot end heat radiating device further comprises one or
two blowers respectively provided in the receiving spaces of the
corresponding fin groups and configured such that air flow is
sucked from an air inlet area of each blower and is blown to a gap
between each two adjacent plate fins of the corresponding fin
group.
[0016] Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further
comprises: multiple spiral fins each spirally installed on a
corresponding manifold, and a blower arranged at a transverse side
of or above the multiple manifolds such that the manifolds of each
sintered heat pipe are located at an air inlet area or an air
sucking area of the blower.
[0017] In the semiconductor refrigerator of the present invention,
as multiple manifolds for radiating heat or transferring cold
extend from the second pipe segment of the main pipe of each
sintered heat pipe, the heat radiating or cold transferring
efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator is considerably
improved, enabling the sintered heat pipe to adapt to heat sources
of a high heat flow density, such as semiconductor cooling plates,
for radiating heat, and enabling the semiconductor refrigerator of
the present invention to have higher energy efficiency.
[0018] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the
present invention will be understood by those skilled in the art
more clearly with reference to the detailed description of the
embodiments of the present below with reference to the accompanied
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The followings will describe some embodiments of the present
in detail in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner with
reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference signs in
the drawings represent the same or similar parts. Those skilled in
the art shall understand that these drawings are only schematic
ones of this invention, and may not be necessarily drawn according
to the scales. In the drawings:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a sintered heat pipe of a
semiconductor refrigerator according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic rear view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to yet another embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0025] FIG. 6 is a schematic left view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of the present invention
provides a semiconductor refrigerator. The semiconductor
refrigerator typically comprises an inner tank 100, a semiconductor
cooling plate 150, a cold end cold transferring device 180, a hot
end heat radiating device and a housing. The semiconductor cooling
plate 150 may be installed between the rear walls of the inner tank
100 and of the housing.
[0027] The cold end cold transferring device 180 is configured to
transfer the cold from the cold end of the semiconductor cooling
plate 150 to a storage compartment in the inner tank 100. For
example, the cold end cold transferring device 180 may comprise a
cold transferring block, cold transferring fins and a cold
transferring blower. The rear surface of the cold transferring
block is thermally connected to the cold end of the semiconductor
cooling plate 150. The front surface of the cold transferring block
is mounted with multiple cold transferring fins. The cold
transferring fins and the cold transferring blower are mounted in
an air passage inside the semiconductor refrigerator to transfer
cold to the storage compartment.
[0028] The hot end heat radiating device is configured to radiate
the heat from the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 to
ambient air. The hot end heat radiating device may comprise
multiple sintered heat pipes 200, each having a main pipe 210 with
both ends closed. The main pipe 210 may comprise a first pipe
segment 211 and a second pipe segment 212 located above the first
pipe segment 211. The first pipe segment 211 is thermally connected
with a hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150.
Specifically, one or more manifolds 220 extend from one or more
portions of the second pipe segment 212 to radiate the heat from
the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 to an ambient
environment, which considerably improves the heat radiating
efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator.
[0029] The working chamber of the manifold 220 may communicate with
the working chamber of the corresponding main pipe 210 to
facilitate steam flow in the sintered heat pipe 200. The liquid
absorbing core in the manifold 220 may be connected with the liquid
absorbing core in the main pipe 210. The liquid absorbing cores in
the manifold 220 and in the main pipe 210 closely contact the inner
wall of the corresponding pipes respectively to facilitate flow of
the working liquid. Further, the diameter of the manifold 220 may
equal that of the main pipe 210. In some alternative embodiments of
the present invention, the diameter of the manifold 220 may be
smaller than that of the main pipe 210.
[0030] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first pipe
segment 211 of the main pipe 210 is formed by extending from a
lower end of the main pipe 210 vertically upwards by a
predetermined length; and the first pipe segments 211 of multiple
main pipes 210 are located in the same plane in parallel and with
gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of
an inner tank 100 of the semiconductor refrigerator.
[0031] To facilitate heat connection between the sintered heat pipe
200 and the semiconductor cooling plate 150 and the fixing of the
sintered heat pipe 200, the hot end heat radiating device of the
semiconductor cooling plate 150 further comprises a fixed bottom
plate 310 and a fixed cover plate 320. The rear surface of the
fixed bottom plate 310 is provided with one or more grooves. The
front surface of the fixed bottom plate 310 may be attached to the
hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 so as to be
thermally connected therewith, or may be thermally connected the
hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 through a heat
transferring block. The front surface of the fixed cover plate 320
is also provided with one or more grooves, and the fixed cover
plate 320 is configured to cooperate with the fixed bottom plate
310 to clamp the first pipe segment 211 of the main pipe 210
between the grooves of the fixed cover plate 320 and of the fixed
bottom plate 310. After clamping the sintered heat pipe 200 between
the fixed cover plate 320 and the fixed bottom plate 310, the three
members are firmly fixed together by welding or mechanical
squeezing. To effectively transfer heat, usually heat conducting
silicone grease is coated on the contact surfaces between the
sintered heat pipe 200 and the fixed bottom plate 310/the fixed
cover plate 320.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the second pipe segment 212 of the main
pipe 210 is formed by extending from an upper end of the main pipe
210 longitudinally forwards by a predetermined length and then
vertically downwards by a predetermined length, and the vertical
portions 2121 of the second pipe segments 212 of multiple main
pipes 210 are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps
therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the
inner tank 100 of the semiconductor refrigerator. That is, the
second pipe segment 212 of multiple main pipes 210 may comprise the
vertical portion 2121 whose lower end communicates with the
corresponding first pipe segment 211 and a horizontal portion 2122
which extends from the upper end of the vertical portion 2121
perpendicularly to the vertical portion 2121 and whose tail end is
closed. A starting end of the manifold 220 of the sintered heat
pipe 200 is located at the vertical portion 2121 of a corresponding
second pipe segment 212. Preferably, the projection of the manifold
220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 in a plane perpendicular to the
corresponding vertical portion 2121 overlaps with the projection of
the corresponding horizontal portion 2122 in the plane. Or the
manifolds 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at the
same side of the corresponding main pipe 210.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the main pipe 210 may further include a
connecting pipe segment 213 connected between the first and second
pipe segments 211, 212 and arranged at an angle of
100.degree.-170.degree. relative to the first pipe segment 211 and
to the vertical portion 2121 of the second pipe segment 212
respectively. The hot end heat radiating device of the embodiments
of the present invention may comprise four sintered heat pipes 200.
The main pipes 210 of the four sintered heat pipes 200 are arranged
in the same plane in symmetry with respect to a geometrical
symmetry plane. The length of the connecting pipe segment 213 of
one sintered heat pipe 200 at one side of the geometrical symmetry
plane is smaller than that of the connecting pipe segment 213 of
the other sintered heat pipe 200 at the same side of the
geometrical symmetry plane, so that the four sintered heat pipes
200 are reasonably arranged. There may be one manifold 220 for each
sintered heat pipes 200.
[0034] In the embodiments of the present invention, the manifold
220 of the sintered heat pipe 200 is perpendicular to the rear wall
of the inner tank 100. Further, the hot end heat radiating device
further comprises one fin group 400 comprising multiple
corresponding plate fins which are arranged in parallel and with
gaps therebetween, and the fin group 400 being installed at a
manifold 220 on a corresponding side of the main pipe 210 via pipe
holes of the respective plate fins. The fin group 400 may be
installed at the horizontal portion 2122 of the second pipe segment
212 of the main pipe 210 via the pipe holes of the respective plate
fins. Preferably, the middle portion of each plate fin is provided
with a receiving through hole so that each fin group 400 defines a
receiving space extending along the axes of the receiving through
holes. The hot end heat radiating device further comprises a blower
500 provided in the receiving space of the corresponding fin group
400 and configured such that air flow is sucked from an air inlet
area of the blower and is blown to a gap between each two adjacent
plate fins of the fin group 400. The blower 500 may be a
centrifugal blower. The rotary axis of the blades overlaps with the
axis of the receiving through hole, so that air flow is sucked from
an axial direction of the centrifugal blower and is blown to the
gap between each two adjacent plate fins using a centrifugal force.
The plate fin may be rectangular.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present
invention. In the embodiments of the present invention, the second
pipe segment 212 of the main pipe 210 is formed by extending from
an upper end of the main pipe 210 vertically downwards by a
predetermined length, and the second pipe segments 212 of multiple
main pipes 210 are located in the same plane in parallel and with
gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of
the inner tank 100 of the semiconductor refrigerator. The manifolds
220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at the opposite
sides of the corresponding main pipe 210 respectively. The hot end
heat radiating device further comprises two fin groups 400 and a
blower 500. Each fin group 400 comprises multiple corresponding
plate fins which are arranged in parallel and with gaps
therebetween, and is installed at a manifold 220 on a corresponding
side of the main pipe 210 via pipe holes of the respective plate
fins. The blower 500 may be arranged at a transverse side of or
above the multiple manifolds 220 and configured such that an air
inlet area of the blower sucks air flow and the air flow is blown
to a gap between each two adjacent plate fins, or the air flow is
sucked from the gap between each two adjacent plate fins and is
then blown to the air inlet area. For example, the blower 500 is an
axial flow blower fixed on top of the two fin groups 400.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor
refrigerator according to yet another embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the manifold 220 of the sintered
heat pipe 200 is perpendicular to the rear wall of the inner tank
100. The manifolds 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located
at the same side of the corresponding main pipe 210, or are located
at the opposite sides of the corresponding main pipe 210
respectively. The hot end heat radiating device further comprises:
multiple spiral fins 450 and a blower 500. Each of the multiple
spiral fins 450 is spirally installed on a corresponding manifold
220, and the blower 500 is arranged at a transverse side of or
above the multiple manifolds 220 such that the manifolds 220 of
each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at an air inlet area or an
air sucking area of the blower 500. For example, the blower 500 may
be an axial flow blower and may be located at one side transverse
to the multiple manifolds 220.
[0037] In the embodiments of the present invention, as the
manifolds 220 of a sintered heat pipe 200 are independent from
those of the other sintered heat pipe 200, to avoid deformation of
the sintered heat pipes 200 and the spiral fins 450, or
specifically to avoid unnecessary deformation of the sintered heat
pipes 200 and the spiral fins 450 due to transportation or
installation so as to affect the performance of the hot end heat
radiating device, the hot end heat radiating device further
comprises one and/or two fastening members 600. The fastening
member 600 may be fixed at an end of the second pipe segment 212 of
a corresponding main pipe 210 away from the corresponding first
pipe segment 211 along the length direction of the fastening member
600 at different parts of the fastening member respectively. The
other fastening member 600 may be fixed at an end of the second
pipe segment 212 of a corresponding main pipe 210 close to the
corresponding first pipe segment 211 along the length direction of
the fastening member 600 at different parts of the fastening member
respectively. For example, the fastening member 600 may be a
fastening steel bar, a fastening steel wire, a fastening tube or
the like.
[0038] Although multiple embodiments of this invention have been
illustrated and described in detail, those skilled in the art may
make various modifications and variations to the present invention
based on the content disclosed by the present invention or the
content derived therefrom without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present invention. Thus, the scope of the present
invention should be understood and deemed to include these and
other modifications and variations.
* * * * *