Process and Apparatus for Performing Compressed Refrigerant Thermoelectric Cooling

Abstract

A refrigeration cycle coupled to a thermoelectric assembly and process for performing compressed refrigerant thermoelectric cooling of electronic equipment and other equipment that requires focused cooling of features within the product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling apparatus comprising:
 a compressor;   a receiver;   a condenser connected between the compressor and the receiver;   at least one puck assembly including an evaporator and a thermoelectric module; and   a controller operatively coupled to the at least one puck assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one stepper motor needle valve operatively coupled to the controller.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric module of the at least one puck assembly is further connected to a heat source. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the thermoelectric module and the heat source are separated by a thermally conductive epoxy or a thermally conductive paste. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  where the evaporator and the thermoelectric module are separated by one of a thermally conductive epoxy or a thermally conductive paste. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further connected to at least one of the compressor, the condenser, and the receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is integrated into an electronic device and managed via the electronic device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller receives readings from at least one thermocouple sensor over a sensor network harness. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller receives readings from at least one pressure gauge sensor over a sensor network harness. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller receives readings from at least one atmospheric sensor over an atmospheric sensor harness. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant condenser further comprises a fan assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A method for cooling a heat source via a cooling system having a compressor, a condenser, at least one puck assembly including an evaporator and a thermoelectric module, the at least one puck assembly being connected to a heat source, and having a controller operatively coupled to the puck assembly, the method comprising:
 compressing a refrigerant via the compressor;   transferring the compressed refrigerant from the compressor to the condenser;   cooling the compressed refrigerant via the condenser;   transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant from the condenser to the evaporator of the at least one puck assembly;   cooling the evaporator via the transferred cooled and compressed refrigerant;   applying a signal to the thermoelectric module and absorbing, by the evaporator, heat generated by the thermoelectric module to cool the thermoelectric module; and   transferring refrigerant including the heat generated from the thermoelectric module to the compressor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the condenser vents the heat from the refrigerant to an exterior of the condenser. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the heat is generated by the thermoelectric module when the signal from the controller is applied to the thermoelectric module during transfer of the refrigerant to the evaporator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant to a receiver prior to transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant to the evaporator of the at least one puck assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling system further comprises:
 at least one stepper motor needle valve operatively coupled to controller, the method further comprising:
 transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant to the at least one stepper motor needle valve prior to transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant to the evaporator of the at least one puck assembly; and 
 lowering a pressure of the cooled and compressed refrigerant via the at least one stepper motor needle valve. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant to a receiver prior to transferring the cooled and compressed refrigerant to the at least one stepper motor needle valve.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transferring refrigerant from the at least one puck assembly into a collection manifold; and   transferring the refrigerant from the collection manifold to the compressor.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises:
 at least one sensor harness attached to at least one of the refrigerant compressor, the refrigerant condenser, the refrigerant receiver, and the at least one puck assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the controller further comprises at least one sensor harness attached to the at least one stepper motor needle valve. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cooling system further comprises:
 at least one thermocouple sensor connected to the system controller;   wherein the thermocouple sensor is configured to obtain a measured reading of a level of heat from the heat source; and   wherein the controller obtains the measured reading of the level of heat from the at least one thermocouple sensor, compares the measured reading to an ideal variable, and controls the cooling system in response to results of the comparison.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the controller obtains a measured reading from one puck assembly at a time. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the cooling system further comprises:
 at least one pressure gauge sensor connected to the system controller, 
 wherein the at least one pressure gauge sensor is configured to obtain a measured reading of refrigerant pressure, obtains the measured pressure reading from the pressure gauge sensor, compares the measured pressure reading to an ideal variable, and controls the cooling system in response to results of the comparison. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the compressed refrigerant cooling system further comprises:
 at least one atmospheric sensor;   wherein the atmospheric sensor is configured to obtain a measured reading of a dew point of the ambient environment; and   wherein the controller obtains the measured reading of the dew point from the atmospheric sensor, compares the measured reading of the dew point to an ideal variable, and controls the cooling system in response to results of the comparison.