Heat exchanger for an electronic heat pump

Abstract

A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump including a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls. The channel heights are between 0 mm and 10 m to ensure thermal resistance is below 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchange width. The acceptable geometry for the channels is described by one or more variables, including the minimum number of channels and the minimum wall thickness for a given channel width. These variables control the surface area of the boundary of the channels in direct contact with the fluid and the cross-sectional area available for transmission of heat by conduction up the walls of the channels.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;    a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;    a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;    a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;    wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end, and an outlet end, and;    wherein the minimum number of channels/meter N is defined by the approximation:      N= 314 *W− 13    
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.  
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.  
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;    a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;    a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;    a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;    wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;    wherein the minimum thickness M(mm) of each wall is defined by the approximation:      M= 0.6 *W− 0.3 *W   2      
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 4  wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.  
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 4  wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.  
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;    a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;    a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;    a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;    wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end,    wherein the minimum number of channels/meter N is defined by the approximation:      N= 314 *W− 13, and;     wherein the minimum thickness M(mm) of each wall is defined by the approximation:      M= 0.6 *W− 0.3 *W   2      
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 7  wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.  
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 7  wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.  
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;    a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;    a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;    a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;    wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;    wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum number (N) of channels per meter are within the following ranges:                                                W   N                                       0.05    25         0.1    25         0.2    55         0.3    80         0.4   110         0.5   145         0.6   170         0.7   200         1.0   310                                                             
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 10  wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.  
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 10  wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.  
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;    a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;    a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;    a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;    wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;    wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum wall thickness T(mm) are within the following ranges:                                                W   T                                       0.05   0.025         0.1   0.025         0.2   0.05         0.3   0.10         0.4   0.15         0.5   0.175         0.6   0.20         0.7   0.235         1.0   0.25                                                             
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 13  wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.  
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 13  wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.  
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;    a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;    a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;    a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;    wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;    wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum wall thickness T(mm) are within the following ranges:                                                W   T                                       0.05   0.025         0.1   0.025         0.2   0.05         0.3   0.10         0.4   0.15         0.5   0.175         0.6   0.20         0.7   0.235         1.0   0.25                                                              and wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum number (N) of channels per meter are within the following ranges:                                                W   N                                       0.05    25         0.1    25         0.2    55         0.3    80         0.4   110         0.5   145         0.6   170         0.7   200         1.0   310                                                             
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 16  wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.  
     
     
         18 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 16  wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.