Thermoelectric device with recuperative heat exchangers

Patent · Tue Aug 03 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:6457663

Hed, A Z

A thermoelectric device operating as a heat pump is described comprising: (i) a vessel forming a liquid-tight container and having a cold end portion thereof adapted to be in thermal contact with an external heat source from which heat is to be withdrawn; (ii) a plurality of thermocouples joined into a continuous plate having a first side and a second side opposite thereto, said plate being positioned in the vessel; (iii) each thermocouple comprising a leg of p-semiconductive material and a leg of n-semiconductive material, each leg having two ends and each thermocouple having an intra couple electrical connection means to electrically connect one leg to the other leg of its thermocouple at one end thereof: said intra couple means being adjacent the first side of the plate; (iv) a group of inter-couple connection means to electrically connect adjacent couples, said intercouple means being adjacent to the second side of the plate; (v) a DC power source connected to each thermocouple adapted to thereby create a thermal gradient from the first side of the plate to the second side of the plate; (vi) said plate dividing said vessel into a warm space on the first side of the plate and a cold space on the second side of the plate; and (vii) means to flow liquid within the vessel over both sides of the plate from the cold space to the warm space in a continuous and recirculating closed-loop liquid flow path to cool the liquid by contact with the first side of the plate and warm the liquid by contact with the opposite second side of the plate and to flow the cooled liquid into thermal contact with the cold end portion.

• Assignee: Implemed, Inc., Brookline, MA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5232516; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-710100
• OSTI ID: 6457663
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
CONNECTORS
CONTAINERS
COOLING
DESIGN
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
HEAT EXCHANGERS
LIQUID FLOW
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
POWER SUPPLIES
PUMPS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
THERMOCOUPLES