Peltier Module

Abstract

Peltier module (10) with at least one Peltier element (20) having a first surface (21) and an opposing second surface (22), wherein a first heat transfer element (31) of a ventilation duct (30) is arranged on the first surface (21), wherein the ventilation duct (30) has an inlet opening (36) in which a fan (34) is arranged and an outlet opening (37) for guiding air along the first heat transfer element (31), and wherein a second heat transfer element (41) of a heat sink (40) is arranged on the second surface (22), characterized in that the fan (34) is designed and arranged such that an airflow generated by the fan (34) is arranged at an angle (α) between 10° and 80° to the first surface (21).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a Peltier module which can be used, for example, in laboratory cabinets, refrigerators, cold cabinets, climate cabinets or environmental simulation cabinets for cooling the interior.

[0002] Peltier elements are known which generate a temperature difference when current flows through them. Such Peltier elements can be used for cooling, for example in refrigerators or cold storage cabinets or also in laboratory cabinets, climate control cabinets or environmental simulation cabinets. A Peltier element is usually cuboid-shaped and has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The first surface is in particular part of a first side, in particular a warmer side, and the second surface is in particular part of a second side, in particular a cooler side. A Peltier element can usually generate a maximum temperature difference. It is known to arrange a cooling element on the second surface of the Peltier element, which cooling element extracts heat from the environment.

[0003] To achieve particularly effective cooling, it is also known to ventilate the first side of the Peltier element using a fan to enhance the cooling effect. This can be achieved by generating an airflow either perpendicular to the side or parallel to it.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a Peltier module with improved efficiency.

[0005] The object is achieved according to the invention by a Peltier module having the features of patent claim 1.

[0006] Advantageous embodiments and further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] A Peltier module according to the invention with at least one Peltier element with a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein a first heat transfer element of a ventilation duct is arranged on the first surface, wherein the ventilation duct has an inlet opening in which a fan is arranged and an outlet opening for guiding air along the first heat transfer element, and wherein a second heat transfer element of a heat sink is arranged on the second surface, is characterized in that the fan is designed and arranged such that an air flow generated by the fan is arranged at an angle between 10° and 80° to the first surface. The first surface and the second surface are arranged in particular parallel to one another.Such an inflow improves the cooling effect on the first surface, since heat can be better absorbed by the air and dissipated through the ventilation duct.

[0008] A particularly advantageous development of the invention provides that the fan is designed as an axial fan with a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis is arranged at an angle between 10° and 80° to the first surface. Despite the inclined position, which entails increased space requirements, an axial fan can be arranged on the ventilation duct in the most space-saving manner possible.

[0009] The angle is preferably between 10° and 50°, particularly preferably between 25° and 30°. With such an arrangement, a particularly good cooling effect can be achieved.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an insulating layer is arranged between the first heat transfer element and the second heat transfer element, laterally of the Peltier element, in particular circumferentially around the Peltier element. Typically, the Peltier element has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the area of ​​the first heat transfer element and / or the second heat transfer element. The insulating layer can reduce energy losses in the area around the Peltier element.

[0011] Preferably, the Peltier element is arranged on a spacer element, which is arranged, in particular, integrally on the second heat transfer element. Such a spacer element increases the distance between the first heat transfer element and the second heat transfer element and enables a reduction in the heat flow between the two heat transfer elements.

[0012] Preferably, the ventilation duct has fins that extend from the surface of the first heat transfer element perpendicular to this surface toward a portion of the housing running parallel to this surface. Such fins noticeably improve the cooling effect achieved by the airflow.

[0013] This is particularly true if the ribs extend to the portion of the housing running parallel to this surface, so that a plurality of continuous cooling channels is created in the ventilation duct, the walls of which are each formed by adjacent ribs and the portions of the surface of the first heat transfer element and the housing connecting them.

[0014] In addition, the effect achievable with the ribs can be further increased if the end faces of the ribs opposite the exit opening are inclined and lie in a plane whose normal vector also runs at an angle α to the first surface.

[0015] Advantageously, the Peltier module comprises at least two Peltier elements with a first surface and an opposite second surface. A first heat transfer element of a ventilation duct is arranged on the first surface of each of the Peltier elements. The ventilation duct has an inlet opening, in which a fan is arranged, and an outlet opening for guiding air along the first heat transfer element. The two Peltier elements are arranged with their second surfaces on a single second heat transfer element of a heat sink. Such a configuration can further improve the cooling effect.

[0016] The Peltier element preferably comprises at least two partial Peltier elements connected in series. This configuration allows the surface area of ​​the Peltier element to be configured as desired. Furthermore, this configuration allows for better utilization of a given supply voltage of the device in which the Peltier element is used. For example, with a supply voltage of 24 VDC, two partial Peltier elements, each with a supply voltage of 12 VDC, can be connected in series.

[0017] A preferred development of the invention provides for cooling fins to be arranged on the heat sink, which are arranged in particular perpendicular to the second surface of the Peltier element. Such a configuration can improve the extraction of heat from the surroundings of the heat sink.

[0018] Advantageously, a Peltier module according to the invention is used in a laboratory cabinet, a refrigerator, a cold cabinet, a climate cabinet or an environmental simulation cabinet.

[0019] A laboratory cabinet, refrigerator, cold cabinet, climate cabinet or environmental simulation cabinet according to the invention with an inner housing, an outer housing, an insulation layer arranged between the inner housing and the outer housing has at least one Peltier module according to the invention, which is arranged such that the ventilation duct is arranged on the outside of the outer housing and the heat sink is arranged on the inside of the inner housing.

[0020] The invention is explained in detail using an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures. They show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of a Peltier module according to the invention, Fig. 2 a further perspective view of the Peltier module according to the invention according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 an exploded view of the Peltier module according to Fig. 1 with hidden cover plate and hidden control electronics, Fig. 4 a longitudinal section through a laboratory cabinet with an inner housing, an outer housing and at least one Peltier module according to Fig. 1, Fig. 5 a section of a plan view of the inside of the inner housing of the laboratory cabinet according to Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 a section of a plan view of the outside of the outer casing of the laboratory cabinet according to Fig. 4.

[0021] The Fig. 1 to 3 show various views of an embodiment of a Peltier module 10 according to the invention. The Peltier module 10 has at least one Peltier element 20 with a first surface 21 and an opposite second surface 22. The Peltier element 20 can, for example, be approximately cuboid-shaped, with the first surface 21 and the second surface 22 being parallel to one another. The Peltier element 20 usually has a first, warmer side and a second, cooler side, with the first surface 22 forming the outside of the first side and the second surface 23 forming the outside of the second side. When current flows through the Peltier element 20, a temperature difference develops between the first side and the second side.

[0022] It is possible that the Peltier element 20 comprises two or more partial Peltier elements 20a, 20b connected in series.

[0023] A first heat transfer element 31 of a ventilation duct 30 is arranged on the first surface 21. The ventilation duct 30 is designed to guide air along the first heat transfer element 31, in particular substantially parallel to the surface 21 of the Peltier element 20. The ventilation duct 30 has an inlet opening 36, in which a fan 34 is arranged, and an outlet opening 37, wherein, in particular, the Peltier element 20 is arranged between the inlet opening 36 and the outlet opening 37, as seen in a projection. Fins 32 can be arranged on the first heat transfer element 31, which can improve heat absorption and dissipation.

[0024] The heat transfer element 31 can, in particular, be covered by a housing 33, which can, in particular, comprise the inlet opening 36 and the outlet opening 37. The ventilation duct 30 extends from the inlet opening 36 to the outlet opening 37.

[0025] The fan 34 is designed and arranged such that an air flow generated by the fan 34 is arranged at an angle α between 10° and 80°, preferably between 10° and 50°, particularly preferably between 25° and 30°, to the first surface 21. The fan 34 can be designed, for example, as an axial fan with a rotational axis A, wherein the rotational axis A is arranged at the described angle α to the first surface.

[0026] How to get particularly good at Fig. 3 and Fig. 6, the geometry of the ribs 32 is adapted to the geometry of the fan 34, so that the air flow is guided between the ribs 32 all the way between the fan 34 and the outlet opening 37.

[0027] Specifically, this is achieved by arranging the fan 34 directly on the end face of the ribs 32 opposite the outlet opening 37, i.e. directly or at a distance of a few mm, and preferably not only with a partial area but completely.

[0028] This is made possible in particular by the fact that these end faces of the ribs 32 run obliquely and lie in a plane whose normal vector also runs at the described angle α to the first surface and can be described by the direction of the fan axis A if it is an axial fan.

[0029] In addition, the length of the end faces of the fins 32 essentially corresponds to the extension of the fan 34 in this direction. The airflow from the fan 34 enters directly between the fins 32 across the entire extension of the fan 34. Each of these measures contributes significantly to particularly efficient cooling by the airflow of the fan 34.

[0030] At the same time, the height of the ribs is 32, as in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, are preferably selected such that they extend from the surface of the first heat transfer element 31, perpendicular to this surface, to a section of the housing 33 running parallel to this surface. This preferably creates a plurality of continuous cooling channels, the walls of which are essentially formed by adjacent ribs 32 and the connecting sections of the surface of the first heat transfer element 31 and the housing 33, which also further improves cooling.

[0031] The Peltier module 10 can have control electronics 35, which can be arranged in particular on the housing 33. The control electronics 35 can, for example, control the speed of the fan 34. Furthermore, the control electronics 35 can control the current intensity and, if necessary, also the current direction of the current flowing through the Peltier element 20. The supply voltage of the control electronics 35 can be, for example, 24 VDC. The Peltier element 20 can have a supply voltage of 24 VDC. Each of the partial Peltier elements 20a, 20b can have a supply voltage of 12 VDC, for example.

[0032] A second heat transfer element 41 of a heat sink 40 is arranged on the second surface 22 of the Peltier element 10. Cooling fins 42 can be arranged on the heat sink 40, which are arranged in particular perpendicular to the second surface 22 of the Peltier element 20.

[0033] The Peltier element 20 can be arranged on a spacer element 43 (cf. Fig. 3), which can be arranged, in particular, in one piece on the second heat transfer element 41. By means of the spacer element 43, the distance between the first heat transfer element 31 and the second heat transfer element 41 can be increased in order to be able to reduce the heat flow between the first heat transfer element 31 and the second heat transfer element 41.

[0034] Typically, the area of ​​the Peltier element 20, ie in particular the area of ​​the first surface 21 or the second surface 22, is smaller than the area of ​​the first heat transfer element 31 and / or the second heat transfer element 41. For insulation, an insulation layer 45 can then be arranged between the first heat transfer element 31 and the second heat transfer element 41 laterally from the Peltier element 20, in particular circumferentially around the Peltier element 20 (cf. Fig. 3). If the Peltier element 20 is arranged on a spacer element 43, the insulation layer 45 can also be arranged circumferentially around the spacer element 43.

[0035] The Peltier module 10 can have at least two Peltier elements 20, in which Fig. 1 to 3, the cooling system comprises exactly two Peltier elements 20, each having a first surface 21 and an opposite second surface 22, wherein a first heat transfer element 31 of a ventilation duct 30 is arranged on the first surface 21 of each of the Peltier elements 20, wherein the ventilation duct 30 has an inlet opening 36, in which a fan 34 is arranged, and an outlet opening 37 for guiding air along the first heat transfer element 31, and wherein the two Peltier elements 20 are arranged with their second surface 22 on a single second heat transfer element 41 of a heat sink 40. The control of the two fans 34 and the two Peltier elements 30 can be effected via a common control electronics 35.

[0036] The Fig. 4 to 6 show, by way of example, a laboratory cabinet 50, with at least one Peltier module 10, in particular four Peltier modules 10, according to the Fig. 1 to 3. Instead of the laboratory cabinet 50, however, a refrigerator, a cold cabinet, a climate cabinet or an environmental simulation cabinet or any other cabinet in which the interior is to be cooled, with at least one Peltier module according to the Fig. 1 to 3.

[0037] The laboratory cabinet 50 has an inner housing 51, an outer housing 52, and an insulation layer arranged between the inner housing 51 and the outer housing 52. As shown in particular in Fig. 4, the at least one Peltier module 10 is arranged such that the ventilation duct 30 is arranged on the outside of the outer housing 52 and the heat sink 40 is arranged on the inside of the inner housing 51. The outside of the outer housing 52 is to be understood as the side of the outer housing 52 which faces away from the inner housing 51, and the inside of the inner housing 51 is to be understood as the side of the inner housing which faces away from the outer housing 52. The heat sink 40 can, for example, be applied from the inside of the inner housing 51 and fastened by means of screws. To avoid thermal bridges caused by the screws, the screws can be arranged guided in an insulating sleeve. The heads of the screws can be covered with an insulating cap.

[0038] Fig.5 shows a section of a view of the inside of the inner housing 51, in which several, in this case four, heat sinks 40 are arranged next to one another such that the cooling fins 42 protrude into the interior. It is possible to use an additional fan 54, which can be designed, for example, as a radial fan, to draw air from the interior of the inner housing 51 and guide it along the cooling fins 42 of the heat sink 40 in order to improve the heat transfer between the air and the cooling fins 42. For such air guidance, it is advantageous to arrange an air guide wall 55 at a distance from the wall of the inner housing. List of reference symbols 10 Peltier module 20 Peltier element 20a Partial Peltier element 20b Partial Peltier element 21 first surface 22 second surface 30 ventilation duct 31 first heat transfer element 32 ribs 33 housings 34 fans 35 Control electronics 36 Entrance opening 37 Exit opening 40 heat sinks 41 second heat transfer element 42 cooling fins 43 spacer element 45 Insulation layer 50 laboratory cabinet 51 inner casing 52 outer casings 53 Insulation layer 54 fans 55 Air deflector α angle A axis of rotation

Claims

[1] Peltier module (10) with at least one Peltier element (20) with a first surface (21) and an opposite second surface (22), wherein a first heat transfer element (31) of a ventilation duct (30) is arranged on the first surface (21), wherein the ventilation duct (30) for guiding air along the first heat transfer element (31) has an inlet opening (36), in which a fan (34) is arranged, and an outlet opening (37), and wherein a second heat transfer element (41) of a heat sink (40) is arranged on the second surface (22), characterized by that the fan (34) is designed and arranged such that an air flow generated by the fan (34) is arranged at an angle (α) between 10° and 80° to the first surface (21). [2] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the fan (34) is designed as an axial fan with an axis of rotation (A), wherein the axis of rotation (A) is arranged at an angle (α) between 10° and 80° to the first surface (21). [3] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the angle (α) is between 10° and 50°, particularly preferably between 25° and 30°. [4] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that an insulation layer (45) is arranged between the first heat transfer element (31) and the second heat transfer element (41) laterally from the Peltier element (20), in particular circumferentially around the Peltier element (20). [5] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the Peltier element (20) is arranged on a spacer element (43) which is arranged in particular in one piece on the second heat transfer element (40). [6] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the ventilation duct (30) has ribs (32) which extend from the surface of the first heat transfer element (31) perpendicular to this surface in the direction of a section of the housing (33) running parallel to this surface. [7] Peltier module according to claim 6, characterized by that the ribs (32) extend to the section of the housing (33) running parallel to this surface, so that a plurality of continuous cooling channels is created in the ventilation duct (30), the walls of which are each formed by adjacent ribs (32) and the sections of the surface of the first heat transfer element (31) and of the housing (33) connecting them. [8] Peltier module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized bythat the end faces of the ribs (32) opposite the outlet opening (37) run obliquely and lie in a plane whose normal vector also runs at an angle (α) to the first surface (21). [9] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that the Peltier module (10) has at least two Peltier elements (20) with a first surface (21) and an opposite second surface (22), wherein a first heat transfer element (31) of a ventilation duct (30) is arranged on each of the Peltier elements (20) on the first surface (21), wherein the ventilation duct (30) has an inlet opening (36), in which a fan (34) is arranged, and an outlet opening (37) for guiding air along the first heat transfer element (31), and wherein the two Peltier elements (20) are arranged with their second surface (22) on a single second heat transfer element (41) of a heat sink (40). [10] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the Peltier element (20) has at least two partial Peltier elements (20a, 20b) connected in series. [11] Peltier module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that cooling fins (42) are arranged on the heat sink (40), which are arranged in particular perpendicular to the second surface (22) of the Peltier element (20). [12] Laboratory cabinet (50), refrigerator, cold cabinet, climate cabinet or environmental simulation cabinet with at least one Peltier module (10) according to one of the preceding claims. [13] Laboratory cabinet (50), refrigerator, cold cabinet, climate cabinet or environmental simulation cabinet with an inner housing (51), an outer housing (52), an insulation layer (53) arranged between the inner housing (51) and the outer housing (52) and at least one Peltier module (10) according to one of claims 1 to 11, which is arranged such that the ventilation duct (30) is arranged on the outside of the outer housing (52) and the heat sink (40) is arranged on the inside of the inner housing (51).

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