Miniature thermoelectric refrigeration system for miniature heating assembly

Abstract

The utility model discloses a miniature thermoelectric refrigeration system for a miniature heating assembly, which relates to the technical field of infrared detection equipment and comprises a flat plate type evaporator, a foamy copper heat pipe radiator, a micropump, a liquid storage device, a fan, the miniature heating assembly, a multi-stage thermoelectric refrigerator and a detector vacuum cavity packaging box. The flat plate type evaporator, the foamy copper heat pipe radiator, the liquid storage device and the micropump are sequentially connected in series through a pipeline and are arranged outside the detector vacuum cavity packaging box, and according to the scheme, by optimizing the overall structure and core assembly design of the system, the flat plate evaporator is arranged at the hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric refrigerating unit to absorb heat; the foamy copper heat pipe radiator is used for heat dissipation, and the micropump is used for assisting the capillary phase change loop to start, so that the heat dissipation effect of the hot end of the refrigerating device is remarkably enhanced, and the size and the weight of the refrigerating system are greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of infrared detection equipment technology, specifically a micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating component. Background Technology

[0002] To improve the resolution and sensitivity of infrared systems, both mid-wave and long-wave infrared detectors generally need to operate in low-temperature environments. Currently, most mature cooled infrared detectors in China employ Stirling cooling technology; however, this technology suffers from issues such as high noise levels, gas leakage within the gap leading to cooling capacity loss, and short lifespan, thus limiting the development of cooled infrared detectors.

[0003] Thermoelectric cooling technology, due to its advantages such as small size, simple structure, high reliability, fast cooling rate, and simple operation, has begun to be practically applied in the field of infrared detection technology and is developing rapidly, showing a trend of replacing mechanical refrigeration. The improvement of thermoelectric cooling efficiency, besides being affected by the performance of semiconductor thermoelectric materials and manufacturing processes, mainly depends on the heat dissipation method and structural design of the cooler. Traditional heat dissipation technologies, such as natural convection, air cooling, and liquid cooling, result in a large size and mass of the cooling system, which limits the application of cooled infrared detectors in various fields, such as lightweight infrared guidance and detection technologies.

[0004] Compared to traditional water-cooling and air-cooling, the flat-plate loop heat pipe utilizes the principle of gas-liquid phase change for efficient heat transfer, making it a novel and compact heat exchanger. It exhibits advantages such as high heat transfer efficiency, ease of miniaturization, and flexible arrangement, and is widely used in aerospace and ground-based electronic components. Therefore, combining the flat-plate loop heat pipe with multi-stage thermoelectric cooling technology has unique advantages and promising prospects in the field of cooled infrared detectors.

[0005] The existing technology has the following problems and drawbacks: the refrigeration system is large and heavy. Therefore, there is a need to provide a micro thermoelectric refrigeration system for micro heating components. By optimizing the overall structure of the system and the design of the core components, the problems of large size and heavy weight of the refrigeration system can be effectively solved. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a micro thermoelectric cooling system for micro heating components. By optimizing the overall structure of the system and the design of its core components, the problems in the existing technology can be solved.

[0007] A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element includes a flat-plate evaporator, a foamed copper heat pipe radiator, a micro pump, a liquid receiver, a fan, a micro heating element, a multi-stage thermoelectric cooler, and a detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box.

[0008] The micro-heating component and the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler are located inside the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box. The cold end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler is attached to the micro-heating component, and the hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler is attached to the side of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box.

[0009] The flat-plate evaporator, the foamed copper heat pipe radiator, the liquid reservoir, and the micro pump are connected in series via pipes and disposed outside the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box. The fan is located at the top of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box near the foamed copper heat pipe radiator.

[0010] Furthermore, an optical viewing hole is provided on the side of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box facing away from the flat-plate evaporator.

[0011] Furthermore, the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler includes multiple thermoelectric elements connected in series.

[0012] Furthermore, the cold end and hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler are connected to the micro heating component and the bottom surface of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box, respectively, via thermally conductive silicone grease.

[0013] Furthermore, the flat-plate evaporator is connected to the side wall of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box by low-temperature solder.

[0014] Furthermore, the flat-plate evaporator has a flat, hollow shell structure with a liquid-absorbing core and a compensation chamber inside. The liquid-absorbing core has a steam channel, and the flat-plate evaporator has a liquid inlet and a steam outlet on both sides of the inner cavity.

[0015] Furthermore, the vapor outlet of the evaporator is connected to the foamed copper heat pipe radiator via a pipe, and the liquid inlet of the evaporator is connected to the micro pump via a pipe.

[0016] Furthermore, the foamed copper heat pipe radiator is welded to the top outer wall of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box, and the input end of the foamed copper heat pipe radiator is connected to the pipe through a solid thermal conductive silicone grease sheet.

[0017] Furthermore, the micropump is welded and fixed to the side of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box, and the input and output ends of the micropump are respectively connected to the liquid reservoir and the flat plate evaporator through pipes.

[0018] Furthermore, the liquid reservoir is welded and fixed to the side of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box, and the input end and output end of the liquid reservoir are respectively connected to the foamed copper heat pipe radiator and the micro pump.

[0019] The advantages of this utility model compared with the prior art are as follows:

[0020] 1. This solution provides a micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element. By optimizing the overall structure and core component design of the system, a flat plate evaporator is configured at the hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler to absorb heat, and a foamed copper heat pipe radiator is used for heat dissipation. A micro pump is also used to assist the start-up of the capillary phase change circuit. This not only meets the cooling requirements of the cooled infrared detector and significantly enhances the heat dissipation effect at the hot end of the cooling device, but also greatly reduces the size and weight of the cooling system.

[0021] 2. This invention utilizes a flat-plate evaporator to absorb heat from the hot end of a multi-stage thermoelectric cooler. Through phase change, it achieves efficient heat absorption, increases the heat dissipation of the hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler, and thus enhances its cooling performance. At the same time, it reduces the size and weight, facilitating the miniaturization and portability of the detector system.

[0022] 3. This utility model uses a foamed copper heat pipe radiator. The total heat transfer coefficient of the foamed metal is higher than that of traditional heat sink fins, which significantly reduces the total thermal resistance of the heat pipe radiator. The lightweight open-pore foamed metal material can reduce the total mass of the refrigeration system, thus making it suitable for cooling applications of electronic devices with greater heat dissipation requirements.

[0023] 4. This invention can also be used for cooling other electronic devices, such as quantum communication devices.

[0024] 5. This utility model solves the shortcomings of capillary phase change circuits, such as limited transmission distance and difficulty in starting, by introducing a micro-pump to assist in driving the circulation of the working fluid.

[0025] 6. By rationally arranging the various parts of the flat-plate loop heat pipe, this utility model reduces the volume of the cooling system, making its structure compact and applicable to various cooling infrared detectors, especially in the fields of lightweight infrared guidance technology and lightweight infrared detection technology. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of a micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element proposed in this scheme.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element proposed in this scheme from a second perspective.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the flat-plate evaporator proposed in this scheme.

[0029] Reference numerals: 1. Flat plate evaporator; 2. Foamed copper heat pipe radiator; 3. Micro pump; 4. Liquid receiver; 5. Fan; 6. Miniature heating element; 7. Multi-stage thermoelectric cooler; 8. Detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box; 9. Liquid wick;

[0030] 11. Liquid suction core; 12. Compensation chamber; 13. Steam channel; 14. Evaporator liquid inlet end; 15. Evaporator steam outlet end. Detailed Implementation

[0031] This embodiment provides a micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element, as shown in the attached instruction manual. Figure 1-3 As shown, it includes a flat-plate evaporator 1, a foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2, a micro pump 3, a liquid receiver 4, a fan 5, a micro heating element 6, a multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7, and a detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8.

[0032] The miniature heating component 6 can be an infrared detector chip, a communication electronic component, or other miniature electronic devices. Specifically, in this embodiment, the miniature heating component 6 is a detector chip. The following description uses a detector chip as an example. The detector chip is directly cooled by the cold end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 to ensure that it is maintained within the optimal operating temperature range. The heat generated by the hot end of the cooler 7 is absorbed by the working fluid phase change inside the flat plate evaporator 1 and then conducted to the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2. The steam is then condensed and released by air cooling. The condensate is transported back to the flat plate evaporator 1 through the liquid pipe and the liquid storage tank 4 by the micro pump 3 for the next cycle. The heat absorbed by the hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 by the flat plate evaporator 1 can be used not only for cooling the infrared miniature heating component but also for cooling other electronic devices, such as quantum communication devices.

[0033] In this embodiment, the working medium can be, for example, deionized water, acetone, methanol, etc. There are no strict limitations here, as long as it meets the various cooling requirements of cooled infrared detection.

[0034] Please refer to the instruction manual attached. Figure 1-2 The method of installing the detector chip and the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 inside the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8 is described in detail:

[0035] The detector chip and the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 are located inside the detector vacuum chamber package 8. The multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 consists of multiple thermoelectric elements connected in series. The cold end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 is attached to the detector chip and connected by thermal grease. The hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler 7 is attached to the side of the detector vacuum chamber package 8 and connected by thermal grease. An optical viewing hole is provided on the side of the detector vacuum chamber package 8 that is away from the flat plate evaporator 1, so as to facilitate observation of the use of the detector chip inside the detector vacuum chamber package 8.

[0036] Please refer to the instruction manual attached. Figure 1-2The loop structure outside the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8 is described in detail: the flat plate evaporator 1, the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2, the liquid reservoir 4 and the micro pump 3 are connected in series through pipes and set outside the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8. The fan 5 is located at the top of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8 near the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2.

[0037] The output end of the flat plate evaporator 1 is connected to the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2 through a pipe. The output end of the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2 is connected to the liquid receiver 4. The output end of the liquid receiver 4 is connected to the micro pump 3 through a pipe. The output end of the micro pump 3 is connected to the input end of the flat plate evaporator 1 through a pipe.

[0038] The liquid working fluid is heated and vaporized inside the flat-plate evaporator 1, then enters the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2 through pipes. It is cooled by the airflow from the fan 5, and the cooled liquid working fluid enters the receiver 4. It is worth noting that the receiver 4 can store a certain amount of liquid, thus acting as a buffer in the circulation pipeline and helping to maintain the stability of the system pressure. Simultaneously, the receiver 4 also separates the gas and liquid phases. If the gaseous working fluid is not completely cooled into liquid in the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2, some of it will flow directly into the micro-pump 3, causing poor liquid flow in the pipeline and reducing the overall efficiency of the system. Therefore, the refrigerant flowing out of the foamed copper heat pipe radiator 2 enters the receiver 4, where its gaseous components are effectively separated to avoid this adverse situation. The liquid working fluid, under the action of the micro-pump 3, is then transported through pipes to the flat-plate evaporator 1 to enter the next cycle.

[0039] Continue to refer to the instruction manual appendix Figure 1-2 The structure of the flat-plate evaporator 1 in this embodiment will be described in detail below:

[0040] The flat-plate evaporator 1 has a flat, hollow outer shell and contains a liquid-absorbing core 11 and a compensation chamber 12. The liquid-absorbing core 11 has a steam channel 13. The inner cavity of the flat-plate evaporator 1 has an evaporator liquid inlet end 14 and an evaporator steam outlet end 15 on both sides. After the liquid working fluid enters the evaporator liquid inlet end 14 through the pipe, the liquid-absorbing core 11 is filled with liquid working fluid. After receiving heat from the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8, it absorbs heat through liquid-gas phase change. The steam enters the compensation chamber 12 from the steam channel 13 and flows out through the evaporator steam outlet end 15, completing the cooling process of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box 8, thereby reducing the temperature of the detector chip.

[0041] The flat-plate evaporator 1 involved in this embodiment can use the VC-1.2-16.7-58.3-LT model VC heat spreader produced by Zhongshi Technology. Its matching structure can also be provided by the manufacturer. Apart from that, the circuits, electronic components and modules involved in this invention are all existing technologies, which can be fully implemented by those skilled in the art, and need not be elaborated. The content protected by this invention does not involve any improvement to the internal structure and method.

[0042] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0043] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0044] In the description of this utility model, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0045] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element, characterized in that: It includes a flat-plate evaporator (1), a foamed copper heat pipe radiator (2), a micro pump (3), a liquid receiver (4), a fan (5), a micro heating element (6), a multi-stage thermoelectric cooler (7), and a detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box (8). The micro heating element (6) and the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler (7) are located inside the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8). The cold end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler (7) is attached to the micro heating element (6), and the hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler (7) is attached to the side of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8). The flat-plate evaporator (1), the foamed copper heat pipe radiator (2), the liquid reservoir (4) and the micro pump (3) are connected in series through pipes and set outside the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box (8). The fan (5) is located at the top of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box (8) near the foamed copper heat pipe radiator (2).

2. The micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to claim 1, characterized in that: An optical aperture is provided on the side of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8) facing away from the flat plate evaporator (1).

3. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: The multi-stage thermoelectric cooler (7) includes multiple thermoelectric elements connected in series.

4. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: The cold end and hot end of the multi-stage thermoelectric cooler (7) are connected to the micro heating component (6) and the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8) respectively via thermally conductive silicone grease.

5. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flat-plate evaporator (1) is connected to the side wall of the detector vacuum chamber encapsulation box (8) by low-temperature solder.

6. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flat plate evaporator (1) has a flat hollow shell and contains a liquid suction core (11) and a compensation chamber (12). The liquid suction core (11) has a steam channel (13). The flat plate evaporator (1) has a liquid inlet end (14) and a steam outlet end (15) on both sides of the inner cavity.

7. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to claim 6, characterized in that: The vapor outlet end (15) of the evaporator is connected to the foamed copper heat pipe radiator (2) through a pipe, and the liquid inlet end (14) of the evaporator is connected to the micro pump (3) through a pipe.

8. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foamed copper heat pipe radiator (2) is welded to the top outer wall of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8), and the input end of the foamed copper heat pipe radiator (2) is connected to the pipe through a solid thermal conductive silicone grease sheet.

9. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element according to claim 1, characterized in that: The micropump (3) is welded and fixed to the side of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8). The input end and output end of the micropump (3) are connected to the liquid reservoir (4) and the flat plate evaporator (1) through pipes, respectively.

10. A micro thermoelectric cooling system for a micro heating element as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid reservoir (4) is welded and fixed to the side of the detector vacuum cavity encapsulation box (8). The input end and output end of the liquid reservoir (4) are respectively connected to the foam copper heat pipe radiator (2) and the micro pump (3).

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