Thermoelectric Heat Pump

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermoelectric heat pump including a heat exchanger block with a first channel for flow therethrough of a first heat transfer fluid such as a liquid medium and a separate second channel for flow therethrough of a second heat transfer fluid such as a liquid medium. The heat exchanger block includes a heat exchange cavity which is hydraulically separated by a partition into a first and a second sub-cavity which are connected to respectively the first and second channel and wherein the first heat transfer fluid in the first sub-cavity is in heat-exchanging contact with a first side of the partition and the second heat transfer fluid in the second sub-cavity is in heat-exchanging contact with a second side of the partition lying opposite the first side. The partition includes a thermoelectric element with a cold side and a hot side lying opposite thereto and at a distance therefrom. An outer peripheral edge extends between the cold and hot side, which thermoelectric element is configured to transport heat from the cold side to the hot side and wherein the cold side is in heat-exchanging contact with the first heat transfer fluid and wherein the hot side is in heat-exchanging contact with the second heat transfer fluid and wherein each channel is provided with a pump for pumping the respective heat transfer fluid through the channel.

1 . A thermoelectric heat pump comprising a heat exchanger block with a first channel for flow therethrough of a first heat transfer fluid such as a liquid medium and a separate second channel for flow therethrough of a second heat transfer fluid such as a liquid medium, wherein the heat exchanger block comprises a heat exchange cavity which is hydraulically separated by a partition into a first and a second sub-cavity which are connected to respectively the first and second channel and wherein the first heat transfer fluid in the first sub-cavity is in heat-exchanging contact with a first side of the partition and the second heat transfer fluid in the second sub-cavity is in heat-exchanging contact with a second side of the partition lying opposite the first side, wherein the partition comprises a thermoelectric element with a cold side and a hot side lying opposite thereto and at a distance therefrom, wherein an outer peripheral edge extends between the cold and hot side, which thermoelectric element is configured to transport heat from the cold side to the hot side and wherein the cold side is in heat-exchanging contact with the first heat transfer fluid and wherein the hot side is in heat-exchanging contact with the second heat transfer fluid and wherein each channel is provided with a pump for pumping the respective heat transfer fluid through the channel. 
     
     
         2 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side of the partition are formed by respectively the cold and hot side of the thermoelectric element which are in direct heat-exchanging contact with the respective heat transfer fluids, and wherein the thermoelectric element is mounted sealingly in the heat exchanger block all around the outer peripheral edge by means of a flexible seal lying exclusively against the outer peripheral edge for the purpose of maximizing the heat-exchanging surface of the cold and hot side. 
     
     
         3 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the partition also comprises on either side of the thermoelectric element a membrane, which membranes form respectively the first and second side of the partition and wherein a non-hardening thermally conductive paste is arranged between the membranes and the respective adjoining sides of the thermoelectric element for the purpose of being able to accommodate the thermal shrinkage and expansion of the thermoelectric element relative to the membranes. 
     
     
         4 . The heat pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the outer peripheral edge of the thermoelectric element lies clear all around. 
     
     
         5 . The heat pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the heat-exchanging surface of the first and second side of the partition is larger than the heat-exchanging surface of the respective sides of the thermoelectric element, and wherein the whole heat-exchanging surface of the sides of the thermoelectric element lie against the heat-exchanging surface of the respective sides of the partition. 
     
     
         6 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the flow of the heat transfer fluids in the sub-cavities is laminar and distributed homogeneously over the heat-exchanging surface of the partition. 
     
     
         7 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , comprising at least two thermoelectric layers between the cold side and the hot side. 
     
     
         8 . The heat pump according to  claim 7 , wherein an intermediate membrane is arranged between two adjacent thermoelectric layers. 
     
     
         9 . The heat pump according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the two adjacent thermoelectric layers is constructed from a plurality of thermoelectric sub-elements. 
     
     
         10 . The heat pump according to  claim 7 , wherein the heat-exchanging surface of each of the thermoelectric layers is substantially the same. 
     
     
         11 . The heat pump according to  claim 1 , comprising a housing provided with a plurality of heat exchanger blocks, wherein the housing comprises a first manifold for hydraulically connecting the first channels to each other and comprises a second manifold for hydraulically connecting the second channels of the heat exchanger blocks to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The heat pump according to  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger blocks are thermally insulated from each other. 
     
     
         13 . The heat pump according to  claim 5 , wherein the whole heat-exchanging surface of the sides of the thermoelectric element lie centrally relative to the heat-exchanging surface of the respective sides of the partition. 
     
     
         14 . The heat pump according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the two adjacent thermoelectric layers is constructed from more thermoelectric sub-elements than the other, adjacent thermoelectric layer is constructed from.