Thermoelectric retrofit unit for a liquid recipient

Abstract

A retrofit unit for heating and cooling liquid stored in a recipient, the retrofit unit comprising: a housing defining a cavity and allowing the retrofit unit to be external to the recipient; a thermoelectric device in the cavity, comprising at least one thermoelectric module having a heat radiation side and a heat absorption side; a control unit in the cavity, for controlling the energy to be applied to the thermoelectric module; and a connecting element on the housing, the connecting element allowing the thermoelectric device one of direct contact and indirect contact with the liquid stored in the recipient to selectively heat and cool the liquid by emitting and absorbing heat, respectively.

1 . A retrofit unit for heating and cooling liquid stored in a recipient, the retrofit unit comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity and allowing the retrofit unit to be external to the recipient;   a thermoelectric device in the cavity, comprising at least one thermoelectric module having a heat radiation side and a heat absorption side;   a control unit in the cavity, for controlling the energy to be applied to the thermoelectric module; and   a connecting element on the housing, the connecting element allowing the thermoelectric device one of direct contact and indirect contact with the liquid stored in the recipient to selectively heat and cool the liquid by emitting and absorbing heat, respectively.   
   
   
       2 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element comprises at least one passage for fluidly connecting the retrofit unit to the recipient and allowing said liquid to flow inside said cavity of the housing. 
   
   
       3 . The retrofit unit of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one passage comprises:
 an inlet passage for liquid entering the retrofit unit; and   an outlet passage for liquid exiting the retrofit unit.   
   
   
       4 . The retrofit unit of  claim 3 , wherein the inlet passage is connectable to a city water supply. 
   
   
       5 . The retrofit unit of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet passage is connectable to a drain of the recipient. 
   
   
       6 . The retrofit unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a hot/cold plate inside said cavity on the heat radiation side of the thermoelectric module, for circulating the liquid from the recipient inside the cavity. 
   
   
       7 . The retrofit unit of  claim 6 , further comprising a pump inside the cavity to circulate the liquid in the hot/cold plate. 
   
   
       8 . The retrofit unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump inside the cavity to circulate the liquid between the cavity and the recipient. 
   
   
       9 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting element comprises at least one of straps, thermally conductive adhesives, and thermally conductive epoxy compounds to securely attach the retrofit unit to said recipient and thereby provide a physical contact between said housing and said recipient and a thermal contact between said thermoelectric device and said liquid in said recipient. 
   
   
       10 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a heat sink attached to the at least one thermoelectric module. 
   
   
       11 . The retrofit unit of  claim 10 , wherein the heat sink is attached to the heat radiation side of the at least one thermoelectric module. 
   
   
       12 . The retrofit unit of  claim 10 , wherein the heat sink is attached to the heat absorption side of the at least one thermoelectric module to maintain the temperature of the heat absorbing side close to an ambient temperature. 
   
   
       13 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a hot/cold plate having an embedded piping, the hot/cold plate attached to the heat absorption side of the at least one thermoelectric module to maintain the temperature of the heat absorbing side at an ambient temperature, the piping connected to a radiator to circulate a liquid coolant between the radiator and the hot/cold plate. 
   
   
       14 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device comprises at least one conductive heat transferring block attached to the at least one thermoelectric module. 
   
   
       15 . The retrofit unit of  claim 12 , wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a fan adjacent to said heat sink. 
   
   
       16 . The retrofit unit of  claim 15 , wherein the fan comprises an inlet duct positioned for retrieving ambient air. 
   
   
       17 . The retrofit unit of  claim 13 , wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a fan adjacent to said radiator. 
   
   
       18 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one thermometer in said cavity for providing temperature readings to the control unit. 
   
   
       19 . The retrofit unit of  claim 18 , wherein the control unit is adapted to record and monitor the temperature readings to determine energy to be applied to the at least one thermoelectric module. 
   
   
       20 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein said control unit is adapted to determine power energy to be supplied from a power supply to the thermoelectric module during peak and off-peak periods. 
   
   
       21 . The retrofit unit of  claim 1 , wherein said control unit is adapted to operate the thermoelectric module at a predetermined power in order to selectively heat and cool the liquid, in a predetermined period of time.