JPH08128757A - Water cooler using thermoelectric converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To eliminate a conventional cooling plate, to reduce a thermal resistance, and to cool water in a short time by so constructing as to cool the water via a thin film sheet by a thermal conductive board in which a first electrode is patterned. CONSTITUTION: When a DC current flows to a thermoelectric converter, a Peltier effect is generated, and hence a first electrode 22 operates a heat-absorbing action and a second electrode 26 operates a heat radiating action. A thermal conductive board 20 in contact with the electrode 22 absorbs the heat of water via a thin film sheet 23 by the heat-abrobing action to cool the water. On the other hand, a radiator 21 in contact with the electrode 26 radiates heat generated from the electrode 26. Thus, since the board 20 in which the electrode 22 is patterned cools the water via the sheet 23, a conventional cooling plate is abolished, thermal resistance is reduced to cool the water in a short time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling device for drinking water utilizing the property that when a direct current is passed through a thermoelectric conversion element, heat is released at one end and endothermic at the other end (so-called Peltier effect). .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the prior art of this type, n-type semiconductor elements and p-type semiconductor elements are alternately arranged and electrically connected in series, and both ends of a thermoelectric conversion element having ceramic substrates for insulation at both ends. The heat exchanger is brought into surface contact with the surface to cool the water around the heat exchanger in contact with the heat absorption side of the thermoelectric conversion element.

For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-285045 is known. This is because the heat exchanger that cools the drinking water is made of a material such as resin or stainless steel that is harmless to the drinking water, and aluminum and copper, which have high thermal conductivity, are harmless to the drinking water. It is composed of a cooling plate which has been subjected to a surface treatment such as alumite / chrome plating, and a thermoelectric conversion element is brought into close contact with the cooling plate.

[0004]

In the above conventional technique, since the thermoelectric conversion element is in close contact with the cooling plate, the thermal resistance of the cooling plate itself and
Since there is a thermal resistance between the cooling plate and the thermoelectric conversion element, the thermal efficiency is poor and it takes time to cool the drinking water.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water cooling device using a thermoelectric conversion element which has good thermal efficiency and can cool water in a short time.

[0006]

In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical means taken in the invention of claim 1 is a heat conductive substrate, and an electrical insulation formed on one surface of the heat conductive substrate. A first electrode patterned on the layer, n-type and p-type semiconductors having one surface bonded to the first electrode, and n.
A thermoelectric conversion element including a second electrode joined to the other surface of the p-type and p-type semiconductor, and a radiator that is in thermal contact with the second electrode,
Having a thin film sheet made of a material having corrosion resistance by means of an adhesive having heat conductivity on the other surface of the heat conductive substrate and contacting drinking water with the thin film sheet. is there.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a technical means, wherein a heat conductive substrate, a first electrode patterned on an electrically insulating layer formed on one surface of the heat conductive substrate, and a first electrode on the first electrode are patterned. N-type and p-type semiconductors whose one surface is joined, and n
A thermoelectric conversion element including a second electrode joined to the other surface of the p-type and p-type semiconductor, and a radiator that is in thermal contact with the second electrode,
And a metal having corrosion resistance is vapor-deposited on the other surface of the heat conductive substrate, and drinking water is brought into contact with the metal.

[0008]

In the present invention, the Peltier effect is produced by passing a direct current through the thermoelectric conversion element. This allows
The first electrode has a heat absorbing effect and the second electrode has a heat releasing effect.

In the invention of claim 1, the first
The heat conductive substrate that is in contact with the electrodes absorbs water through the thin film sheet to cool the water.
On the other hand, the radiator in contact with the second electrode radiates the heat generated in the second electrode.

Further, in the invention of claim 2, the heat conductive substrate in contact with the first electrode has an endothermic action, and absorbs water through the metal vapor-deposited on the heat conductive substrate. Is cooled. On the other hand, the radiator in contact with the second electrode radiates the heat generated in the second electrode.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional front view of the cooling device of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a partially sectional plan view of the cooling device of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a partially sectional view of the cooling device of this embodiment. Side view,
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the thermoelectric conversion element. As shown in the figure, the water cooling device 10 includes a first and a second housing 1.
1 and 12, both housings 11 and 12
Forming a waterway 13. The first housing 11 is O
It is screwed to the second housing 12 while sandwiching the rings 14 and 15 and maintains the airtightness of the water flowing in the water passage 13.

In the first housing 11, a heat conductive substrate 20 which will be described later is screwed to the cut portion 11a. On the contact surface between the heat conductive substrate 20 and the first housing 11,
The O-ring 16 is held so as to maintain the airtightness of the water flowing in the water channel 13. The first housing 11 forms an air layer 30 with the second housing 12. A radiator 21 described later is screwed to the upper surface of the first housing 11. An O-ring 17 is sandwiched between the radiator 21 and the first housing 11, and an air layer 31 is formed between the radiator 21 and the heat conductive substrate 20. Further, on the side surface of the first housing 11, lead wires are connected to terminals 28 and 29 for connecting first and second electrodes 22 and 26 described later and a power source (not shown) by soldering or the like. 11b is provided.

The second housing 12 is provided with a water inflow path 12a into the water channel 13 and a water outflow path 12b from the water channel 13. A rubber 19 is closely attached to an end portion of the screw 18 for fixing the first housing 11 to the second housing 12 to prevent water from entering around the screw 18. A resin layer 19a is formed around the rubber 19, and an air layer 32 is formed between the rubber layer 19 and the second housing 12. Further, a semicircular convex portion 12a is formed on the surface of the second housing 12 that forms the water channel 13, and the convex portion 12a is formed.
As a result, turbulent flow can be generated in the water flowing in the water passage 13 and the cooling efficiency is improved.

The heat conductive substrate 20 is formed of a good heat conductive material such as aluminum or aluminum-based metal, copper or copper-based metal, and the electrically insulating resin layer 20a is formed on the upper surface thereof by a method such as adhesion. Has been done. A first electrode 22 made of, for example, copper is patterned on the resin layer 20a by a known appropriate method such as etching. On the lower surface of the heat conductive substrate 20, a thin film sheet 23 made of a material excellent in corrosion resistance such as stainless steel or chromium is provided by an adhesive layer 20b having good heat conductivity such as a silicone resin containing a filler such as alumina. It is glued. The thin film sheet 23 faces the water channel 13 and comes into contact with water flowing in the water channel 13 to cool it.

On the first electrode 22, one surface of the n-type and p-type semiconductors 24, 25 is joined by a method such as soldering. On the other surface of the n-type and p-type semiconductors 24 and 25, the second electrode 26 is also formed by a method such as soldering.
Are joined. At this time, the n-type and p-type semiconductors 24,
25 is electrically connected in series and alternately by the first and second electrodes 22, 26. Generally, a plurality of n-type and p-type semiconductors 24 and 25 are prepared. The thermoelectric conversion element is
A thermally conductive substrate 20, first and second electrodes 22, 26,
It is composed of n-type and p-type semiconductors 24 and 25.

It should be noted that reference numerals 28 and 29 in FIG. 2 denote terminals electrically connected to the first and second electrodes 22 and 26.

The radiator 21 is screwed to the first housing 11 as described above, and its lower surface is in thermal contact with the second electrode 26 via the electrically insulating resin layer 27. or,
Radiating fins 21a for improving the heat radiation effect are formed on the upper surface of the radiator 21.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

A Peltier effect is produced by passing a direct current through the thermoelectric conversion element. As a result, the first electrode 22 has a heat absorbing effect and the second electrode 26 has a heat releasing effect.

The heat conductive substrate 20 in contact with the first electrode 22 absorbs water through the thin film sheet 23 by absorbing heat and cools the water. On the other hand, the radiator in contact with the second electrode radiates the heat generated in the second electrode.

In this embodiment, the heat conductive substrate 20 having the patterned first electrode 22 cools water through the thin film sheet 23. Therefore, the cooling plate in the prior art can be omitted. As a result, the heat resistance is low and the water can be cooled in a short time.

Further, in this embodiment, the air layers 30, 3 are
By forming Nos. 1 and 32, the heat leak between the heat conductive substrate 20 and the radiator 21 is suppressed, and the heat efficiency is improved.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a thermoelectric conversion element of another embodiment according to the present invention, and only the differences from the above embodiment will be explained based on the drawing. In the heat conductive substrate 20 shown in the figure, a chromium-based metal layer 33 having excellent corrosion resistance is formed by vapor deposition on the lower surface in the figure.

In this alternative embodiment, the heat conductive substrate 20 having the first electrode 22 patterned is configured to cool water through the metal layer 33, so that the cooling plate in the prior art is eliminated. As a result, the heat resistance is small and the water can be cooled in a short time.

[0026]

According to the invention of claim 1, since the heat conductive substrate having the patterned first electrode cools water through the thin film sheet, the cooling plate in the prior art can be eliminated. As a result, the heat resistance is small and the water can be cooled in a short time.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the heat conductive substrate having the first electrode patterned has a structure for cooling water through the vapor-deposited metal. Therefore, the cooling plate in the prior art can be eliminated. The thermal resistance is small because
Water can be cooled in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a partial cross section of a water cooling device using a thermoelectric conversion element according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a partial cross section of a water cooling device using a thermoelectric conversion element according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a partial cross section of a water cooling device using a thermoelectric conversion element according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a thermoelectric conversion element according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of a thermoelectric conversion element of another embodiment according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Water cooling device 12a ... Inflow path 12b ... Outflow path 13 ... Water path 20 ... Thermally conductive substrate 20a ... Electrically insulating resin layer 20b ... Adhesive layer 21 ... -Heat radiator 22 ... 1st electrode 23 ... Thin film sheet 24 ... N-type semiconductor 25 ... P-type semiconductor 26 ... 2nd electrode 30-32 ... Air layer 33 ... Metal layer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thermally conductive substrate, a first patterned on an electrically insulating layer formed on one surface of the thermally conductive substrate.
An electrode, an n-type and a p having one surface bonded to the first electrode
-Type semiconductor, a thermoelectric conversion element including a second electrode bonded to the other surface of the n-type and p-type semiconductors, and a radiator that is in thermal contact with the second electrode, the thermal conductivity A thin film sheet made of a material having corrosion resistance is adhered to the other surface of the substrate by an adhesive having thermal conductivity, and water is brought into contact with the thin film sheet. Cooling system. 2. A thermally conductive substrate, a first patterned on an electrically insulating layer formed on one surface of the thermally conductive substrate.
An electrode, an n-type and a p having one surface bonded to the first electrode
-Type semiconductor, a thermoelectric conversion element including a second electrode bonded to the other surface of the n-type and p-type semiconductors, and a radiator that is in thermal contact with the second electrode, the thermal conductivity A water cooling device using a thermoelectric conversion element, characterized in that a metal having corrosion resistance is deposited on the other surface of the substrate, and water is brought into contact with the metal.