Cooling device and automobile including the cooling device

Abstract

To provide a cooling device and a vehicle including the cooling device.SOLUTION: According to one aspect, the cooling device includes: a housing part having a first hole formed at one side thereof and a second hole formed at the other side thereof; a heat exchange part accommodated in an internal space of the housing part and having one side communicating with the first hole and the other side communicating with the second hole; a thermoelectric element part provided above the heat exchange part; and a radiational cooling part provided above the thermoelectric element part and at least partially exposed to the outside.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device and to a motor vehicle including the cooling device. [Background technology]

[0002] According to a conventional technique for cooling the interior space of a vehicle, the vehicle is equipped with a separate cooling device, such as an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning) system.

[0003] However, in the case of cooling devices installed in automobiles according to the prior art, the interior space of the automobile is cooled by dissipating heat inside the automobile to the outside by consuming separate power, which is undesirable in terms of energy consumption. Also, in order to install a cooling device such as an HVAC system in an automobile, separate space is required to install the cooling device, which is undesirable in terms of space utilization in the automobile. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device for an automobile that can perform a cooling function without using additional power and can maximize the utilization of space in the automobile. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object, there is provided a cooling device including a housing part having a first hole formed on one side and a second hole formed on the other side, a heat exchange part accommodated in an internal space of the housing part and having one side communicating with the first hole and the other side communicating with the second hole, a thermoelectric element part provided on an upper part of the heat exchange part, and a radiative cooling part provided on an upper part of the thermoelectric element part, at least a portion of which is exposed to the outside.

[0006] The thermoelectric element unit may be accommodated in an internal space of the housing unit.

[0007] An upper surface of the heat exchanger may be provided in close contact with a lower surface of the thermoelectric element.

[0008] An upper surface of the thermoelectric element unit may be provided in close contact with a lower surface of the radiation cooling unit.

[0009] The heat exchanger may further include a cover part provided on an upper part of the radiation cooling part, a through hole being formed in a central region of the cover part, and the radiation cooling part may be exposed to the outside through the through hole.

[0010] The cover portion may include an inclined region inclined downward from a peripheral region of the cover portion toward the central region.

[0011] A vertical cross section of the inclined region may have a linear shape.

[0012] A vertical cross section of the sloped region may have a curved shape.

[0013] The heat exchange portion may include a recessed region having a recessed shape and a protruding region having a protruding shape, and the recessed region and the protruding region may be arranged alternately along a direction from the first hole to the second hole.

[0014] The heat exchange part may further include a connection region connecting the recessed region and the protruding region, and the connection region may have a flow passage hole formed therein for a fluid to pass through.

[0015] The vertical heights of the flow passage holes formed in two of the plurality of connection regions facing each other may be different from each other.

[0016] The radiation cooling portion may have a film shape.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object, there is provided an automobile including a cooling device, the cooling device including a housing portion having a first hole formed on one side and a second hole formed on the other side, a heat exchange portion accommodated in an internal space of the housing portion and having one side communicating with the first hole and the other side communicating with the second hole, a thermoelectric element portion provided on an upper portion of the heat exchange portion, and a radiative cooling portion provided on an upper portion of the thermoelectric element portion, at least a portion of which is exposed to the outside.

[0018] The cooling device may be provided on an exterior surface of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooling device for an automobile that can perform a cooling function without using additional power and can maximize the space utilization of the automobile. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a cooling device according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cooling device according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating a cooling device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a plurality of components of the cooling device according to the present invention are provided. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view illustrating an automobile equipped with a cooling device according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, a cooling device and an automobile according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] cooling device Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cooling device according to the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The cooling device 20 according to the present invention may be configured for cooling the interior space of a motor vehicle.

[0024] More specifically, the cooling device 20 may include a housing unit 100. The housing unit 100 may be a configuration forming a main body of the cooling device 20 and configured to protect a space provided inside the cooling device 20 from the outside. In addition, as described below, other configurations of the cooling device 20 may be accommodated in the internal space of the housing unit 100.

[0025] Meanwhile, holes may be formed on the side of the housing part 100. The holes may be configured to provide a path for a fluid to be cooled (e.g., a refrigerant such as air) to flow into the cooling device 20 and to provide a path for the fluid to be discharged from the cooling device 20.

[0026] More specifically, the housing part 100 may have a first hole 110 formed on one side and a second hole 120 formed on the other side. In Figs. 1 to 3, the first hole 110 and the second hole 120 are respectively formed on one side and the opposite side of the housing part 100.

[0027] Also, the cooling device 20 may further include a heat exchanger 200 accommodated in the internal space of the housing 100. According to the present invention, a fluid flowing into the cooling device 20 through the first hole 110 of the housing 100 may be cooled while passing through the heat exchanger 200, and then discharged to the outside through the second hole 120. To this end, as shown in FIG. 3, one side of the heat exchanger 200 may be connected to the first hole 110, and the other side of the heat exchanger 200 may be connected to the second hole 120.

[0028] Also, the cooling device 20 may further include a thermoelectric element unit 300 provided on the heat exchanger 200. The thermoelectric element unit 300 may be configured to cool a fluid using a Peltier effect. That is, according to the present invention, when a potential difference is applied to the thermoelectric element unit 300, heat also moves in one direction as a current flows in one direction, and accordingly, the temperature of an upper region of the thermoelectric element unit 300 may increase and the temperature of a lower region of the thermoelectric element unit 300 may decrease. At this time, the fluid flowing in the heat exchanger unit 200 exchanges heat with the lower region of the thermoelectric element unit 300, and accordingly, the temperature of the fluid decreases. Like the heat exchanger unit 200, the thermoelectric element unit 300 may also be accommodated in the internal space of the housing unit 100. Also, the upper surface of the heat exchanger unit 200 may be provided in close contact with the lower surface of the thermoelectric element unit 300. In this case, heat exchange between the fluid flowing in the heat exchanger unit 200 and the thermoelectric element unit 300 may be smoothly performed.

[0029] 1 to 3, the cooling device 20 may further include a radiation cooling part 400 provided on the thermoelectric element part 300 and at least a part of which is exposed to the outside.

[0030] The radiation cooling unit 400 may be configured to discharge heat in the cooling device 20 to the outside using radiation cooling. That is, as described above, the thermal energy of the fluid flowing in the heat exchange unit 200 is transferred to the thermoelectric element unit 300. At this time, the thermal energy of the thermoelectric element unit 300 is transferred to the radiation cooling unit 400, and the radiation cooling unit 400 discharges the heat to the outside in the form of radiation heat. At this time, the upper surface of the thermoelectric element unit 300 may be provided in close contact with the lower surface of the radiation cooling unit 400. In this case, the thermal energy of the thermoelectric element unit 300 can be smoothly transferred to the radiation cooling unit 400 by thermal conduction. In addition, the radiation cooling unit 400 may have a film shape, in which case the volume of the cooling device can be significantly reduced compared to a conventional cooling device provided with a heat sink such as a heat dissipation fin.

[0031] In addition, the cooling device 20 according to the present invention may further include a cover unit 500 provided on the upper part of the radiation cooling unit 400. In this case, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a through hole 510 may be formed in a central region of the cover unit 500, and the radiation cooling unit 400 may be exposed to the outside through the through hole 510.

[0032] The cover 500 may have various shapes. More specifically, according to the present invention, the cover 500 may include an inclined region 520 that is inclined downward from the peripheral region of the cover 500 toward the central region, i.e., toward the through hole 510. In this case, as shown in Fig. 3, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the vertical cross section of the inclined region 520 may have a linear shape.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a cooling device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the vertical cross section of the inclined region 520 may have a curved shape, as shown in Figure 4. As an example, the inclined region 520 may have the shape of a portion of a parabola.

[0035] The inclined region 520 formed in the cover 500 may be a configuration for effectively moving the radiant energy discharged from the radiant cooling unit 400 upward after collecting it. That is, for example, if the upper surface of the cover 500 is formed flat, a part of the radiant energy discharged from the radiant cooling unit may not be discharged upward but may move horizontally, which may reach other adjacent radiant cooling units and may have a negative effect on the efficiency of the cooling device. However, according to the present invention, if the inclined region 520 is formed in the cover 500, the radiant energy discharged from the radiant cooling unit 400 may be prevented from moving horizontally, and the efficiency of the cooling device 20 may be significantly improved.

[0036] Meanwhile, the heat exchanger 200 of the cooling device 20 according to the present invention may be divided into a plurality of regions according to its shape. More specifically, referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the heat exchanger 200 may include a recessed region 210 having a downward recessed shape, a protruding region 220 having an upward protruding shape, and a connecting region 230 connecting the recessed region and the protruding region. More preferably, the recessed region 210 and the protruding region 220 may be alternately arranged along one direction. Fig. 3 shows, as an example, a state in which the recessed region 210 and the protruding region 220 are alternately arranged along a direction from the first hole 110 to the second hole 120 of the housing part 100.

[0037] 3 and 4, the connection region 230 of the heat exchanger 200 may be formed with a flow passage hole 240 that provides a path for a fluid to pass through. Therefore, according to the present invention, i) the fluid may flow into the cooling device 20 through the first hole 110 of the housing part 100, ii) be cooled by exchanging heat with the thermoelectric element part 300 while flowing within the heat exchanger 200 through the flow passage hole 240 of the heat exchanger 200, and iii) be discharged from the cooling device 20 through the second hole 120 of the housing part 100.

[0038] Meanwhile, according to the present invention, the flow passage hole 240 may be formed in each of the plurality of connection regions 230. In this case, the vertical heights of the flow passage holes 240 formed in two of the plurality of connection regions 230 facing each other across the recessed region 210 or the protruding region 220 may be different from each other. Therefore, according to the present invention, the length of the flow passage through which the fluid flows in the internal space of the heat exchanger 200 is increased compared to when the heights of the plurality of flow passage holes 240 are the same, and therefore the time during which the fluid stays in the heat exchanger 200 is also increased. Therefore, the amount of thermal energy transferred from the fluid to the thermoelectric element unit 300 can also be increased.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a plurality of components of the cooling device according to the present invention are provided.

[0040] Meanwhile, referring to Figures 1 to 5, in order to increase the cooling capacity, the cooling device 20 according to the present invention can have multiple heat exchange sections 200, thermoelectric element sections 300, radiation cooling sections 400 and cover sections 500 within a single housing section 100.

[0041] car FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an automobile equipped with a cooling device according to the present invention.

[0042] The automobile 10 according to the present invention may include a cooling device 20. In this case, the cooling device 20 may include a housing part 100 having a first hole 110 formed on one side and a second hole 120 formed on the other side, a heat exchanger 200 accommodated in an internal space of the housing part 100 and having one side communicating with the first hole 110 and the other side communicating with the second hole 120, a thermoelectric element part 300 provided on an upper part of the heat exchanger 200, and a radiation cooling part 400 provided on an upper part of the thermoelectric element part 300 and at least a portion of which is exposed to the outside.

[0043] In this case, the cooling device 20 may be provided on an outer surface of the automobile 10. For example, as shown in FIG 6, the cooling device 20 may be provided on an upper surface of the automobile 10.

[0044] The present invention has been described above using limited embodiments and drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can carry out various implementations within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention and the equivalent scope of the claims described below. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10. Automobiles 20 Cooling device 100 Housing section 110 Hole 1 120 2nd hole 200 Heat exchange section 210 Depression Area 220 Prominent area 230 Consolidation Area 240 Flow Hole 300 Thermoelectric element section 400 Radiant cooling section 500 Cover 510 Through hole 520 Slope area

Claims

1. a housing portion having a first hole formed on one side and a second hole formed on the other side; a heat exchanger housed in the internal space of the housing, one side of which communicates with the first hole and the other side of which communicates with the second hole; A thermoelectric element unit provided on an upper portion of the heat exchange unit; A radiation cooling unit provided on the upper part of the thermoelectric element unit and at least a part of which is exposed to the outside, The cooling device further includes a cover provided on an upper portion of the radiation cooling unit, A through hole is formed in a central region of the cover portion, The radiation cooling portion is exposed to the outside through the through hole, The cover portion is A cooling device comprising an inclined region provided sloping downward from a peripheral region of the cover portion toward the central region.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric element portion is accommodated in an internal space of the housing portion.

3. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the heat exchange portion is provided in close contact with a lower surface of the thermoelectric element portion.

4. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the thermoelectric element portion is provided in close contact with a lower surface of the radiation cooling portion.

5. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein a vertical cross section of the inclined region has a linear shape.

6. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein a vertical cross-section of the sloped region has a curvilinear shape.

7. The heat exchange unit is a recessed region having a recessed shape; a protruding region having a protruding shape; The recessed region and the protruding region are The cooling device according to claim 3 , wherein the holes are alternately arranged along a direction from the first holes to the second holes.

8. The heat exchange unit is a connecting region connecting the recessed region and the protruding region; The linking region includes: The cooling device of claim 7 , further comprising flow holes formed therein for the passage of a fluid therethrough.

9. The cooling device according to claim 8 , wherein the channel holes formed in two of the plurality of connection regions facing each other have different heights in the up-down direction.

10. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation cooling portion has a film shape.

11. A vehicle including a cooling system, The cooling device includes: a housing portion having a first hole formed on one side and a second hole formed on the other side; a heat exchanger housed in the internal space of the housing, one side of which communicates with the first hole and the other side of which communicates with the second hole; A thermoelectric element unit provided on an upper portion of the heat exchange unit; A radiation cooling unit provided on the upper part of the thermoelectric element unit and at least a part of which is exposed to the outside, The cooling device further includes a cover provided on an upper portion of the radiation cooling unit, A through hole is formed in a central region of the cover portion, The radiation cooling portion is exposed to the outside through the through hole, The cover portion is The automobile further comprises an inclined region provided so as to incline downward from a peripheral region of the cover portion toward the central region.

12. The cooling device includes: The vehicle of claim 11 provided on an exterior surface of the vehicle.

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