Thermoelectric vehicle engine air cooler

Abstract

Engine air may be cooled at any point in the intake passageways by means of a remote thermoelectric temperature control unit which cools a liquid, gas or other coolant in a coolant circuit, the coolant then contacting the circuit to a point in the intake passageways where engine air is cooled by means of a coolant to gas heat exchanger. A reservoir of cold coolant, or a cold sink, may be cooled substantially so that when the engine demands an increased supply of air a reservoir of cooled coolant is available. Engine air may be cooled in the ram or scoop, in the cold air intakes, in an intercooler, in a turbocharger, supercharger, chargecooler, throttle body, carburetor or at any other point in the engine air intake passageways.

1 . A vehicle engine air cooling device comprising:
 an engine air conduit having a first heat exchanger disposed therein with such engine air passing across the first heat exchanger;   a first coolant flow circuit having first and second portions, the first portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacting the first heat exchanger; and   a first thermoelectric device, the second portion of the first coolant flow circuit having a contacting the first thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       2 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermoelectric device further comprises:
 a hot side and a cool side, wherein the second portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacts the cool side of the first thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       3 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger further comprises:
 inlet and outlet ports, the inlet port and the outlet port operatively connected by the first portion of the first coolant flow circuit.   
   
   
       4 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 3 , wherein the first thermoelectric device further comprises:
 at least one electricity supply line.   
   
   
       5 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first coolant return line from the outlet port of the heat exchanger to an inlet port of the first thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       6 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a first coolant feed line from an outlet port of the first thermoelectric device to the inlet port of the first heat exchanger.   
   
   
       7 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermoelectric device is disposed remote from the engine air conduit. 
   
   
       8 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a heat sink disposed on the hot side of the first thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       9 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second heat exchanger disposed on the cool side of the first thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       10 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the engine air conduit further comprises one member of group consisting of: air intake, air intake scoop, air intake ram, air filter, carburetor, intercooler, chargecooler, supercharger, turbocharger, other engine air ducts and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second thermoelectric module and a third portion of the first coolant flow circuit, the third portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacting the second thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       12 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , a second thermoelectric module and a second coolant flow circuit, the second coolant flow circuit having a first portion contacting the second thermoelectric device. 
   
   
       13 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second heat exchanger in the engine air conduit.   
   
   
       14 . The engine air cooling device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coolant reservoir operatively connected to the first coolant flow circuit and having a first state in which cooled coolant is stored in the coolant reservoir and having a second state in which cooled coolant is taken from the reservoir to the first heat exchanger.   
   
   
       15 . A method of cooling vehicle engine air, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) contacting a coolant with the cool side of a thermoelectric device having hot and cool sides;   b) contacting the coolant with a coolant-gas heat exchanger;   c) contacting engine air with the coolant-gas heat exchanger.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 d) recirculating the coolant from the coolant-gas heat exchanger to the cool side of the thermoelectric device.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 e) storing coolant cooled by the thermoelectric device in step a) for a period of time prior to contacting the coolant with the coolant-gas heat exchanger in step b).   
   
   
       18 . An improved engine air cooler comprising:
 a thermoelectric device;   a coolant circuit having a first portion contacting the thermoelectric device and having a second portion disposed in an engine air path.