Fluid temperature control device

Abstract

A fluid temperature control device, which has a high cooling capacity, wide controllable temperature range and an excellent temperature control accuracy. A transparent cylinder ( 3 ) is inserted in a cylindrical-shaped vessel ( 1 ), and a columnar-shaped heating lamp ( 5 ) is inserted in the transparent cylinder ( 3 ). A fluid desired to be temperature controlled is made to flow in a passage ( 25 ) between the vessel ( 1 ) and the transparent cylinder ( 3 ). Joined to an outer peripheral surface of the vessel ( 1 ) is a thermoelectric conversion element ( 7 ), to an outer surface of which is joined a cooling pipe ( 9 ). A cooling liquid is made to flow in the cooling pipe ( 9 ). Fluid heating is effected by the heating lamp ( 5 ). Fluid cooling is effected by the cooling liquid and the thermoelectric conversion element ( 7 ) forcedly absorbs heat from the fluid and discharges heat to the cooling liquid to thereby cool the fluid rapidly and cool the fluid to a temperature lower than that of the cooling liquid. Further, the thermoelectric conversion element ( 7 ) is used to suppress cooling by the cooling liquid and control an amount of cooling with good accuracy and good responsiveness.

1 . A fluid temperature control device for controlling the temperature of a fluid, comprising: 
 a fluid passage for the flow of said fluid;    a cooling liquid passage for the flow of a cooling liquid; and    thermoelectric conversion elements placed between said fluid passage and said cooling liquid passage for absorbing heat from said fluid and discharging heat to said cooling liquid.    
     
     
         2 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 1   , further comprising a heater placed near said fluid passage for heating said fluid.  
     
     
         3 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 1    or    2   , comprising a cylindrical vessel provided along the inner surface thereof with said fluid passage, and provided on the peripheral wall thereof with said thermoelectric conversion elements.  
     
     
         4 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , comprising: 
 a transparent cylinder inserted into said vessel such that said fluid passage is formed between the external surface of said transparent cylinder and the internal surface of said vessel; and    a lamp arranged inside said transparent cylinder for use as said heater for radiating infrared light.    
     
     
         5 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , wherein said thermoelectric conversion elements are joined to the external surface of said vessel.  
     
     
         6 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , wherein said thermoelectric conversion elements are embedded in the wall of said vessel.  
     
     
         7 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , wherein said thermoelectric conversion elements are arranged over substantially the entire outside surface of said vessel.  
     
     
         8 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , further comprising a large number of fins attached to the inside surface of said vessel and placed in a dispersed manner within said fluid passage.  
     
     
         9 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , further comprising a cooling pipe having therewithin said cooling liquid passage, and joined at the outside surface thereof to said thermoelectric conversion elements.  
     
     
         10 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 9   , further comprising a large number of fins attached to the inside surface of said cooling pipes and arranged in a dispersed manner inside said cooling liquid passage.  
     
     
         11 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , comprising: 
 an intermediate cylinder that encloses said vessel and that is joined at inside surface to said thermoelectric conversion elements on the outside surface of said vessel; and    an outer cylinder that encloses said intermediate cylinder to form said cooling liquid passage between the inside surface of said outer cylinder and the outside surface of said intermediate cylinder.    
     
     
         12 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 11   , further comprising a large number of fins attached to the outside surface of said intermediate cylinder and arranged in a dispersed manner within said cooling liquid passage.  
     
     
         13 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , further comprising an outer cylinder that encloses said vessel and that forms said cooling liquid passage between the outside surface of said vessel or the outside surface of said thermoelectric conversion elements and the inside surface of said outer cylinder.  
     
     
         14 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 13   , further comprising a large number of fins attached to the outside surface of said thermoelectric conversion elements and arranged in a distributed manner within said cooling liquid passage.  
     
     
         15 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 1   , further comprising a refrigeration circuit, connected to said cooling liquid passage, for supplying as said cooling liquid a refrigerant discharged by an expansion valve to said cooling liquid passage.  
     
     
         16 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 1   , comprising: 
 an anti-freeze circuit that is connected to said cooling liquid passage for supplying an anti-freeze as said cooling liquid to said cooling liquid passage; and    a refrigeration circuit connected to said anti-freeze circuit for cooling said anti-freeze using refrigerant discharged by an expansion valve.    
     
     
         17 . A fluid temperature control device for controlling the temperature of a fluid, comprising: 
 a cylindrical vessel having along the inside surface thereof a fluid passage in which flows said fluid; and    thermoelectric conversion elements, placed along the outside surface of said vessel, for absorbing heat from said fluid.    
     
     
         18 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 17   , further comprising a cooling liquid passage in which flows a cooling liquid, and which is placed close to said thermoelectric conversion elements for receiving the heat discharged by thermoelectric conversion elements.  
     
     
         19 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 17    or    18   , further comprising a heater that is placed close to said fluid passage for heating said fluid.  
     
     
         20 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 17   , wherein said thermoelectric conversion elements are arranged over substantially the entire outside surface area of said vessel.  
     
     
         21 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , wherein said vessel has troughs on the outside surface thereof, said thermoelectric conversion elements being embedded in these troughs.  
     
     
         22 . The fluid temperature control device according to    claim 3   , wherein the wall of said vessel contains therein holes or hollows.