Active heat dissipation module

Abstract

As a technical means for achieving the above-described technical task, according to one aspect of the present invention, an active heat dissipation module comprises: an element subject to heat dissipation; a first thermoelectric module configured to cool the element subject to heat dissipation; and a second thermoelectric module configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module.

Description

Active heat dissipation module

[0001] The present invention relates to an active heat dissipation module, and more particularly, to an active heat dissipation module with maximized cooling efficiency.

[0002] A thermoelectric device is a device that uses a thermoelectric material that has thermoelectric properties, which are a reversible energy conversion phenomenon between heat and electricity. There are thermoelectric devices that use the Seebeck effect to generate electricity from heat and thermoelectric devices that use the Peltier effect to perform cooling or heating by converting electricity into heat.

[0003] A thermoelectric element is composed of a thermoelectric element, which is divided into n-type and p-type, and electrodes connected to both ends of the thermoelectric element. Specifically, an n-type thermoelectric element and a p-type thermoelectric element are interconnected through electrodes to form a pn element.

[0004] A thermoelectric element utilizing the Peltier effect utilizes the characteristic that heat is generated or absorbed at the contact point of the thermoelectric elements when an externally applied current passes through a pn element formed by a p-type thermoelectric element and an n-type thermoelectric element.

[0005] Thermoelectric devices utilizing the Peltier effect are widely used as active heat dissipation devices for devices that generate a lot of heat. These active heat dissipation devices can be provided in the form of a thermoelectric module by arranging pn thermoelectric elements between two substrates, connecting the pn thermoelectric elements in series via electrodes, and packaging them.

[0006] A thermoelectric module packaged with the above-described structure is mounted on one side of a component requiring heat dissipation or on one side of a printed circuit board on which the component is arranged, and absorbs heat generated from the component to dissipate heat from the component.

[0007] In this case, the thermoelectric module can be mounted using a separate bracket or mounted on the printed circuit board using fasteners such as bolts. However, this method has the problem of making the device package bulky, making miniaturization of the device difficult. In addition, if the fastening is not airtight, a gap may be created at the contact point between the thermoelectric module and the printed circuit board, which may cause the problem of inefficient heat dissipation.

[0008] In addition, if the control circuit for controlling the operation of the thermoelectric module is mounted separately on a printed circuit board, a separate wiring is required to connect the control circuit and the thermoelectric module, which may cause the structure of the device package to become complicated.

[0009] In addition, when a thermoelectric module is placed within a device package, heat generated in the high temperature section of the thermoelectric module may increase the temperature around the device, which may cause a problem in that the cooling efficiency of the device is reduced.

[0010] Accordingly, a structural design for a thermoelectric module that can be easily mounted on a component package requiring heat dissipation, thereby enabling miniaturization of the component package and maximizing the heat dissipation effect is required.

[0011] Meanwhile, the background technology described above is technical information that the inventor possessed for the purpose of deriving the present invention or acquired during the process of deriving the present invention, and cannot necessarily be said to be publicly known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the application for the present invention.

[0012] One embodiment of the present invention aims to provide an active heat dissipation module including a thermoelectric module having an excellent heat dissipation effect for a device package and suitable for miniaturization of the device package.

[0013] As a technical means for achieving the above-described technical task, according to one aspect of the present invention, an active heat dissipation module includes a heat dissipation target element, a first thermoelectric module configured to cool the heat dissipation target element, and a second thermoelectric module configured to mutually exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the active heat dissipation module may further include a heat transfer unit that enables heat exchange between the high-temperature side of the first thermoelectric module and the low-temperature side of the second thermoelectric module.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the first thermoelectric module may include a first substrate on which the heat dissipation target element is arranged, a first lower electrode in direct contact with the first substrate, a first thermoelectric member on the first lower electrode, a first upper electrode on the first thermoelectric member, and a first heat dissipation substrate arranged on the first upper electrode.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, the second thermoelectric module may include a second substrate, a second lower electrode on the second substrate, a second thermoelectric member on the second lower electrode, a second upper electrode on the second thermoelectric member, and a second heat dissipation portion on the second upper electrode.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the heat transfer unit can be in thermal contact with each of the first heat dissipation substrate and the second substrate.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, heat of the heat dissipation target element may be dissipated through the first substrate of the first thermoelectric module, heat of the first thermoelectric module may be dissipated through the heat transfer portion and the second substrate of the second thermoelectric module, and heat of the second thermoelectric module may be dissipated through the second heat dissipation portion.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, the heat transfer unit may include a heat pipe.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, the second heat dissipation unit may include a heat dissipation fin or a heat dissipation fan.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, the first substrate is a printed circuit board on which the heat dissipation target element is arranged, the heat dissipation target element is arranged on one surface of the first substrate, and the first thermoelectric member can be arranged on the other surface of the first substrate.

[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, the first thermoelectric element can be arranged to overlap the heat dissipation target element.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further includes a control unit for controlling at least one of the first thermoelectric module and the second thermoelectric module, wherein the control unit can be disposed on the one surface or the other surface of the first substrate.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, the control unit is disposed on the other surface of the first substrate, a wiring pattern is formed on the other surface of the first substrate, the first electrode of the first thermoelectric module is formed on the same layer as the wiring pattern, and the first electrode can be connected to the control unit through the wiring pattern.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, the second thermoelectric module is configured to exchange heat with the second thermoelectric module, and further includes at least one n+2 thermoelectric module (provided that n is an integer greater than or equal to 1), and when the n+2 thermoelectric module is composed of a plurality of thermoelectric modules, the n+2 thermoelectric modules can be connected to exchange heat with each other in series.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, the thermoelectric module further includes at least one n+2 thermoelectric module configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module and thermally independent from the second thermoelectric module (provided that n is an integer greater than or equal to 1), and when the n+2 thermoelectric module is composed of a plurality of thermoelectric modules, the n+2 thermoelectric module may be configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module in a parallel manner.

[0027] According to any one of the above-described problem solving means of the present invention, the active heat dissipation module of the present invention includes a first thermoelectric module configured to cool a heat dissipation target element and a second thermoelectric module configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module, so that the temperature increase around the heat dissipation target element due to the first thermoelectric module can be minimized, and the cooling efficiency for the heat dissipation target element can be further maximized.

[0028] The active heat dissipation module of the present invention includes a heat transfer unit that enables heat exchange between a first thermoelectric module and a second thermoelectric module, so that the second thermoelectric module can be spatially separated from the heat dissipation target element. This increases the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the second thermoelectric module, and minimizes the increase in the volume of the element package due to the second thermoelectric module, thereby enabling miniaturization of the element package while maintaining the cooling efficiency of the element package.

[0029] In addition, since the active heat dissipation module of the present invention has the first lower electrode of the first thermoelectric module in direct contact with the first substrate on which the heat dissipation target element is arranged, a separate lower substrate for supporting the first lower electrode can be omitted. Accordingly, the heat transfer obstruction caused by the lower substrate can be minimized, and cooling by the first thermoelectric module can be maximized, thereby increasing the heat dissipation efficiency for the heat dissipation target element.

[0030] In addition, since the active heat dissipation module of the present invention has a feature in which the lower substrate of the first thermoelectric module is shared with the substrate of the device package, the lower substrate of the first thermoelectric module can be omitted, and a separate thermal adhesive or fastener for bonding the first thermoelectric module to the substrate can be omitted. Accordingly, the thickness of the device package can be reduced, the space for arranging the fastener can be omitted, and the active heat dissipation module can be miniaturized.

[0031] The effects that can be obtained from the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an active heat dissipation module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a heat movement path along which heat is released from a heat dissipation target element in the active heat dissipation module of Fig. 1.

[0034] Figure 3 is a comparative evaluation graph to explain the excellent heat dissipation performance of the active heat dissipation module of the present invention.

[0035] Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In the drawings, irrelevant parts have been omitted for clarity of description, and similar reference numerals have been used throughout the specification to indicate similar elements.

[0036] Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" with other elements or components intervening between them. Furthermore, when a part is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather includes other components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0037] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings below.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an active heat dissipation module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Referring to Fig. 1, the thermoelectric module (100, 600) of the present invention can be utilized as an element cooling device using the Peltier effect. In particular, at least one of the thermoelectric modules (100, 600) of the present invention is embedded in an element package of an active heat dissipation module (1000) and configured to cool a heat dissipation target element (400).

[0040] The active heat dissipation module (1000) of the present invention includes a first thermoelectric module (100), a heat dissipation target element (400), a heat transfer unit (502), and a second thermoelectric module (100).

[0041] The heat dissipation target element (400) is an element requiring heat dissipation and is not particularly limited. For example, various types may be used, such as a processor for performing various operations of an electronic device or a communication element for communication.

[0042] The first thermoelectric module (100) is an element including a Peltier element for cooling a heat-dissipating element (400), and is disposed on one surface of the first substrate (300). For example, the heat-dissipating element (400) may be disposed on the first surface of the first substrate (300), and the first thermoelectric module (100) may be disposed on the second surface opposite the first surface on which the heat-dissipating element (400) is disposed. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the heat-dissipating element (400) and the first thermoelectric module (100) may be disposed on the same surface.

[0043] The first thermoelectric module (100) is arranged adjacent to the heat dissipation target element (400). For example, the heat dissipation target element (400) may be arranged in a first area on a first surface of the first substrate (300), and the first thermoelectric module (100) may be arranged in a second area on a second surface that at least partially overlaps the first area where the heat dissipation target element (400) is arranged. In this case, the wider the overlapping area between the first thermoelectric module (100) and the heat dissipation target element (400), the shorter the path the heat generated from the heat dissipation target element (400) can be transferred to the first thermoelectric module (100), thereby improving the heat dissipation effect. Meanwhile, when the first thermoelectric module (100) and the heat dissipation target element (400) are arranged on the same surface, one side of the first thermoelectric module (100) may be arranged adjacent to the heat dissipation target element (400) and side by side, or the first thermoelectric module (100) may be arranged to surround the heat dissipation target element (400).

[0044] As described above, the first thermoelectric module (100) and the heat dissipation target element (400) are arranged on the substrate (300), and each has a structure in which the substrate (300) is shared as a component.

[0045] The first substrate (300) is a substrate that supports the heat dissipation target element (400) and the first thermoelectric module (100), and may be made of a rigid insulator to provide mechanical strength to the element package.

[0046] Additionally, the first substrate (300) may be made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity so that heat generated from the heat dissipation target element (400) can be well transferred to the first thermoelectric module (100).

[0047] For example, the first substrate (300) may be composed of a thermally conductive polymer or ceramic. In some embodiments, the first substrate (300) may be formed into a multilayer structure including the materials described above.

[0048] The first substrate (300) may have an appropriate thickness so that heat generated from the heat dissipation target element (400) can be well transferred to the first thermoelectric module (100). In some embodiments, when the first substrate (300) is thick, a heat transfer unit (e.g., a heat pipe) for heat transfer between the heat dissipation target element (400) and the first thermoelectric module (100) may be additionally arranged.

[0049] On the first substrate (300), other elements other than the heat dissipation target element (400) and the first thermoelectric module (100) may be arranged. For example, the first substrate (300) may be a printed circuit board on which a plurality of elements are arranged to exchange electrical signals with each other and perform specific operations or processing.

[0050] In this case, at least one wiring pattern (361) may be arranged on the first substrate (300) so that electrical signals can be mutually transmitted between elements arranged on the first substrate (300). The wiring pattern (361) may be formed by a method of printing on the first substrate (300) made of an insulating material using a conductive material, but is not limited thereto, and the wiring pattern (361) may be formed on the first substrate (300) by various methods of bonding a metal layer to an insulating layer, such as plating, deposition, or bonding.

[0051] The first thermoelectric module (100) includes a first lower electrode (120) placed on a first substrate (300), a first thermoelectric member (130) connected to the first lower electrode (120), a first upper electrode (140) connected to the first thermoelectric member (130), and a first heat dissipation substrate (150) on the first upper electrode (140).

[0052] As described above, the first thermoelectric module (100) of the present invention is configured to share the first substrate (300) of the device package.

[0053] That is, the first lower electrode (120) of the first thermoelectric module (100) of the present invention is in direct contact with one surface of the first substrate (300).

[0054] The first lower electrode (120) is positioned on the same level as the wiring pattern (361) formed on the first substrate (300), and can be simultaneously formed using the same material as the wiring pattern (361) through the same process. For example, the first lower electrode (120) and the wiring pattern (361) can be formed by printing a conductive material on the first substrate (300). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first lower electrode (120) and the wiring pattern (361) can be formed in various ways, such as plating, deposition, or bonding.

[0055] The first thermoelectric member (130) is placed on the first lower electrode (120) and is electrically connected to the first lower electrode (120). For example, the first thermoelectric member (130) may be directly joined to the first lower electrode (120) through a known joining method such as soldering, welding, or brazing. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first thermoelectric member (130) may also be joined to the first lower electrode (120) through a separate conductive adhesive.

[0056] The first thermoelectric member (130) is formed in a columnar shape extending from the first substrate (300) toward the first heat dissipation substrate (150). The upper and lower surfaces of the first thermoelectric member (130) may be formed in a polygonal shape. When the upper and lower surfaces of the first thermoelectric member (130) are formed in a polygonal shape, the contact area between the first thermoelectric member (130) and the first lower electrode (120) and the first upper electrode (140) increases, thereby improving electrical characteristics and, as a result, improving the thermoelectric characteristics of the first thermoelectric module (100).

[0057] The first thermoelectric element (130) may be composed of an n-type first thermoelectric element (130) and a p-type first thermoelectric element (130), and the n-type first thermoelectric element (130) and the p-type first thermoelectric element (130) may be arranged alternately in an n×m matrix form (where n and m are natural numbers).

[0058] The lower surfaces of the first thermoelectric members (130) adjacent to each other may be electrically connected by the first lower electrode (120). In addition, the upper surfaces of the first thermoelectric members (130) adjacent to each other may be electrically connected by the first upper electrode (140). In this case, the first thermoelectric members (130) connected by the first lower electrode (120) and the first thermoelectric members (130) connected by the first upper electrode (140) may be different from each other. For example, the lower surface of the n-type first thermoelectric element (130) and the lower surface of the adjacent p-type first thermoelectric element (130) may be electrically connected by the first lower electrode (120), and the upper surface of the p-type first thermoelectric element (130) may be electrically connected to the upper surface of another n-type first thermoelectric element (130) adjacent thereto through the first upper electrode (140). In this case, the n-type first thermoelectric element (130), the p-type first thermoelectric element (130), and another n-type first thermoelectric element (130) may be connected in series through the first lower electrode (120) and the first upper electrode (130), and the first thermoelectric elements (130) may be connected in the order of pnp or npn to form a pn element connected in series.

[0059] The first thermoelectric member (130) may be composed of a semiconductor material. For example, when the first thermoelectric member (130) is an n-type first thermoelectric member (130), it may be formed of a Bi-Te-based thermoelectric material containing bismuth (Bi) and tellurium (Te) as main raw materials. When the first thermoelectric member (130) is a p-type first thermoelectric member (130), it may be formed of a Bi-Te-based thermoelectric material containing at least one of antimony (Sb), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), lead (Pb), boron (B), gallium (Ga), Te, Bi, and indium (In). However, it is not limited thereto, and the first thermoelectric member (130) can be formed of various thermoelectric materials such as cobalt (Co)-Sb system, Pb-Te system, silicon (Si)-germanium (Ge) system, iron (Fe)-Si system, and Sb-Te system.

[0060] The first thermoelectric member (130) may further include various types of additives to improve thermoelectric performance in addition to the thermoelectric material described above.

[0061] As described above, the first upper electrode (140) is placed on the upper surface of the first thermoelectric member (130) and is configured to electrically connect adjacent first thermoelectric members (130) to each other.

[0062] The first heat dissipation substrate (150) is placed on the first upper electrode (140) and may be formed of a material having excellent mechanical strength, electrical insulation properties, and thermal conductivity. For example, the first heat dissipation substrate (150) may be formed of an insulating polymer or ceramic material.

[0063] The first heat dissipation substrate (150) of the first thermoelectric module (100) may correspond to the high temperature side of the first thermoelectric module (100), and the first substrate (300) may correspond to the low temperature side of the first thermoelectric module (100). That is, heat may be absorbed at the contact area between the first thermoelectric member (130) and the first lower electrode (120), and heat may be generated at the contact area between the first thermoelectric member (130) and the first upper electrode (140).

[0064] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, a control unit (200) for controlling the first thermoelectric module (100) may be disposed on the first substrate (300). The control unit (200) may be electrically connected to the first thermoelectric module (100) to control cooling of the first thermoelectric module (100). For example, the cooling efficiency of the first thermoelectric module (100) may be controlled by controlling the amount of current applied to the first thermoelectric module (100) according to the degree of heat generation of the heat-dissipation target element (400). In this case, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the heat-dissipation target element (400) may be additionally disposed close to the heat-dissipation target element (400).

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first thermoelectric module (100) and the control unit (200) can be electrically connected through a wiring pattern (361). For example, the first lower electrode (120) of the first thermoelectric module (100) can be electrically connected to the control unit (200) through a wiring pattern (361) that is arranged at the same level as the first lower electrode (120) on the first substrate (300). That is, both ends of the pn thermoelectric element array that are connected in series through the first thermoelectric member (130), the first upper electrode (140), and the first lower electrode (120) can be connected to the control unit (200) through the wiring pattern (361).

[0066] The second thermoelectric module (600) is configured with a Peltier element, similar to the first thermoelectric module (100), and the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) are configured to exchange heat with each other.

[0067] The second thermoelectric module (600) may include a second substrate (610), a second lower electrode (620) on the second substrate (610), a second thermoelectric member (630) on the second lower electrode (620), a second upper electrode (640) on the second thermoelectric member (630), and a second heat dissipation unit (650, 670) on the second upper electrode (640).

[0068] The second substrate (610) serves as the base substrate of the second thermoelectric module (600) and may be formed of a material that has both electrical insulation and excellent thermal conductivity. For example, the second substrate (610) may be formed of an insulating polymer or ceramic material. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second substrate (610) may also be formed of a metal material coated with an insulating material.

[0069] The second lower electrode (620), the second thermoelectric member (630), and the second upper electrode (640) may have substantially the same configuration and characteristics as the first lower electrode (120), the first thermoelectric member (130), and the first upper electrode (140) of the first thermoelectric module (100), and a duplicate description thereof will be omitted.

[0070] The second heat dissipation unit (650, 670) may include a second heat dissipation substrate (650) and a second heat dissipation member (670) placed on the second upper electrode (640).

[0071] The second heat dissipation substrate (650) may be made of a material having substantially the same insulating properties as the second substrate (610) and excellent thermal conductivity.

[0072] The second heat dissipation member (670) is an element configured to release heat from the second heat dissipation substrate (650) by efficiently exchanging heat with the outside, and may be configured with a heat dissipation fin or a heat dissipation fan to maximize heat contact with the outside.

[0073] In some embodiments, the second thermoelectric module (600) may be connected to the control unit (200) and controlled by the control unit (200). For example, the second thermoelectric module (600) may be electrically connected to the control unit (200) via a wire (662). That is, the wire (662) may be in contact with both ends of a pn thermoelectric element circuit connected in series between the second substrate (610) and the second heat dissipation unit (650, 670), and may be in contact with the second lower electrode (620) and / or the second upper electrode (640) of the second thermoelectric module (600). In this case, the control unit (200) may control the second thermoelectric module (600) according to the temperature of the high temperature portion of the first thermoelectric module (100), thereby controlling the degree of cooling for the high temperature portion of the first thermoelectric module (100).

[0074] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) can be configured to exchange heat through a heat transfer unit (502).

[0075] Specifically, a first connection substrate (501) is placed on a first heat dissipation substrate (150) of a first thermoelectric module (100), a second connection substrate (503) is placed under a second substrate (610) of a second thermoelectric module (600), and a heat transfer unit (502) can be in contact with the first connection substrate (501) and the second connection substrate (503) between the first connection substrate (501) and the second connection substrate (503).

[0076] The heat transfer unit (502) may include various configurations that can efficiently allow heat exchange between the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600). For example, the heat transfer unit (502) may include a heat pipe.

[0077] The active heat dissipation module (1000) of the present invention includes a first thermoelectric module (100) and a second thermoelectric module (600) configured to exchange heat with each other so as to efficiently cool heat generated from a heat dissipation target element (400). In this case, the first thermoelectric module (100) may be configured to cool the heat dissipation target element (400), and the second thermoelectric module (600) may be configured to cool a high temperature portion of the first thermoelectric module (100), thereby allowing more efficient cooling of the heat dissipation target element (400). For a more detailed description thereof, reference is also made to FIG. 2.

[0078] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a heat movement path along which heat is released from a heat dissipation target element in the active heat dissipation module of Fig. 1.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 2, the first substrate (300) corresponds to the low-temperature substrate of the first thermoelectric module (100), and heat generated in the heat-radiation target element (400) can be released through the first substrate (300). That is, the heat of the heat-radiation target element (400) is cooled by heat absorption due to the Peltier effect at the contact area between the first lower electrode (120) of the first thermoelectric module (100) and the first thermoelectric member (130).

[0080] Meanwhile, the first heat dissipation substrate (150) of the first thermoelectric module (100) generates heat by the Peltier effect. The heat generated in the first heat dissipation substrate (150) is released to the outside, and as the surrounding temperature increases, cooling of the heat dissipation target element (400) may become difficult. That is, the first thermoelectric module (100) may have to cool not only the heat dissipation target element (400) but also the increased temperature of the surroundings. In this case, the cooling efficiency for the heat dissipation target element (400) may decrease. In particular, when the first thermoelectric module (100), the substrate (300), and the heat dissipation target element (400) are packaged and stored in a sealed space, the problem of cooling inefficiency due to the above-described phenomenon may become more severe.

[0081] However, the active heat dissipation module (1000) of the present invention is configured so that the high-temperature first heat dissipation substrate (150) of the first thermoelectric module (100) exchanges heat with the low-temperature second substrate (610) of the second thermoelectric module (600). That is, the heat of the first heat dissipation substrate (150) of the first thermoelectric module (100) can be transferred to the second substrate (610) of the second thermoelectric module (600) through the heat transfer portion (502), and the ambient temperature of the first heat dissipation substrate (150) can be lowered due to heat absorption by the Peltier effect of the second thermoelectric module (600). Accordingly, the problem of the ambient temperature increasing due to heat generated by the first thermoelectric module (100) can be minimized, and the temperature within the element package can be maintained low, so that the cooling efficiency for the heat dissipation target element (400) can be maximized.

[0082] Meanwhile, heat is generated by the Peltier effect on the second heat dissipation substrate (650) of the high temperature section of the second thermoelectric module (600), and the temperature of the second heat dissipation substrate (650) may increase. However, the second heat dissipation member (670) on the second heat dissipation substrate (650) can efficiently release the heat of the second heat dissipation substrate (650) to the surroundings. In particular, since heat exchange between the second thermoelectric module (600) and the first thermoelectric module (100) is performed through the heat transfer portion (502), the second thermoelectric module (600) may be spaced apart from the heat dissipation target element (400). Accordingly, even if heat is released through the second heat dissipation part (650, 670) of the second thermoelectric module (600), the problem of the temperature around the heat dissipation target element (400) rising due to the released heat can be minimized, and the cooling efficiency for the heat dissipation target element (400) can be maximized.

[0083] Meanwhile, since the second thermoelectric module (600) does not come into direct thermal contact with the heat-dissipating target element (400), the degree of freedom in selecting the location of the second thermoelectric module (600) can be improved. That is, the second thermoelectric module (600) can be placed outside the element package where heat dissipation is advantageous, away from the element package, and since the volume of the element package does not increase due to the second thermoelectric module (600), the cooling efficiency of the element package can be improved while maintaining the miniaturization of the element package.

[0084] In some embodiments, the heat transfer unit (502) may be omitted. That is, the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) may be in direct contact to exchange heat. In this case, to prevent the heat generated in the second heat dissipation unit (650, 670) of the second thermoelectric module (600) from increasing the ambient temperature of the heat-dissipation target element (400), the second heat dissipation unit (650, 670) may be placed outside the element package, or an insulating material may be additionally required between the heat-dissipation target element (400) and the second heat dissipation unit (650, 670).

[0085] Meanwhile, as described above, in the device package of the present invention, the first substrate (300) on which the heat-dissipation target device (400) is arranged is shared as the substrate of the first thermoelectric module (100). Through this, the first thermoelectric module (100) can be embedded in the device package, and miniaturization of the device package can be enabled. In particular, in this case, since the first lower electrode (120) is in direct contact with the first substrate (300), heat generated in the heat-dissipation target device (400) can be directly transferred to the contact portion between the first lower electrode (120) and the first thermoelectric member (130) through the first substrate (300), and the cooling effect can be further improved.

[0086] To explain more specifically, the conventional device package is provided in a manner in which a separately manufactured thermoelectric module is attached to a first substrate (300) adjacent to a heat dissipation target device (400).

[0087] A conventional thermoelectric module has a structure in which electrodes and a thermoelectric member are interposed between upper and lower substrates, and heat generated from a heat-dissipation target element (400) is transferred to the contact area between the lower electrode and the thermoelectric member through the first substrate (300) on which the heat-dissipation target element (400) is placed and the lower substrate of the thermoelectric module, and heat is dissipated through a heat absorption phenomenon due to the Peltier effect. However, the heat generated from the heat-dissipation target element (400) may be reflected or absorbed by the first substrate (300) or the lower substrate in the process of passing through the first substrate (300) and the lower substrate, and as a result, heat absorption at the contact area between the thermoelectric member and the lower electrode may not occur smoothly. As a result, the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat-dissipation target element (400) may be reduced.

[0088] In addition, in order to attach the thermoelectric module to the first substrate (300), a separate fastening member such as a bolt or rivet is used, or a thermal adhesive is applied between the lower substrate of the thermoelectric module and the first substrate to bond them together. However, if the fastening member is not sufficiently fastened, a gap may be created between the lower substrate of the thermoelectric module and the first substrate (300), and the thermal adhesive may be partially peeled off, resulting in a gap between the lower substrate and the first substrate (300). In this case, heat from the first substrate (300) may leak into the gap, so that heat dissipation by the thermoelectric module may not be effectively achieved, and some of the heat may be absorbed by the thermal adhesive and not transferred to the thermoelectric module, so that heat dissipation of the heat-dissipation target element (400) may not be smoothly achieved.

[0089] However, since the first thermoelectric module (100) of the present invention is structured to share the first substrate (300) as a lower substrate, there is no room for the above-described peeling problem to occur, so heat leakage due to peeling is minimized, and since the heat of the heat-dissipating element (400) is transferred through the first substrate (300) without loss, the heat dissipation effect for the heat-dissipating element (400) can be maximized.

[0090] In addition, since a separate fastener or thermal adhesive is not required, the problem of thickness or volume increase due to the fastener or thermal adhesive is minimized, enabling miniaturization of the device package.

[0091] In addition, the active heat dissipation module (1000) of the present invention can be configured so that the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) can be individually controlled through the control unit (200). In this case, effective cooling of the heat dissipation target element (400) can be implemented. That is, if the temperature of the heat dissipation target element (400) is not sufficiently hot, the heat dissipation target element (400) can be cooled by operating only the first thermoelectric module (100), and if the temperature of the heat dissipation target element (400) is sufficiently hot, the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) can be operated simultaneously to cool the heat dissipation target element (400), thereby achieving rapid cooling.

[0092] In some embodiments, the active heat dissipation module (1000) of the present invention may further include at least one n+2 thermoelectric module configured to mutually exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module (100) (provided that n is an integer greater than or equal to 1). For example, the n+2 thermoelectric module may be configured to additionally dissipate heat generated in the high temperature portion of the first thermoelectric module (100) by having a low temperature portion of the n+2 thermoelectric module come into thermal contact with the high temperature portion of the first thermoelectric module (100). In this case, the n+2 thermoelectric module and the second thermoelectric module (600) may be thermally independent from each other. The n+2 thermoelectric module may be configured to be one or more, and may be configured to mutually exchange heat with the high temperature portion of the first thermoelectric module (100) while being thermally independent from each other. Accordingly, the high temperature section of the first thermoelectric module (100) can be in thermal contact with the second thermoelectric module (600) and the n+2 thermoelectric module in parallel. According to the above-described embodiment, even if a defect occurs in the second thermoelectric module (600), cooling of the first thermoelectric module (100) can be implemented through the n+2 thermoelectric module, so that the cooling efficiency for the heat dissipation target element (400) can be maximized.

[0093] In some embodiments, the active heat dissipation module (1000) of the present invention may further include at least one n+2 thermoelectric module configured to exchange heat with the second thermoelectric module (600). For example, a high-temperature portion of the second thermoelectric module (600) may be in thermal contact with a low-temperature portion of the n+2 thermoelectric module, and the n+2 thermoelectric module may be configured to dissipate heat generated from the high-temperature portion of the second thermoelectric module (600). The n+2 thermoelectric modules may be configured in one or more configurations and may be connected in series with each other. That is, a high-temperature portion of the n+2 thermoelectric module may be connected to a low-temperature portion of an adjacent n+3 thermoelectric module. According to the above-described embodiment, heat generated in the high-temperature section of the plurality of first thermoelectric modules (100) is cooled by the low-temperature section of the second thermoelectric module (600), heat generated in the high-temperature section of the second thermoelectric module (600) can be sequentially dissipated by the n+2-th thermoelectric module and the n+3-th thermoelectric module, and heat of the heat dissipation target element (400) can be effectively dissipated by the thermoelectric modules connected in series.

[0094] Hereinafter, the advantages of the above-described cooling efficiency of the active heat dissipation module of the present invention will be described in more detail through examples.

[0095] (Manufacturing example - manufacturing of active heat dissipation module)

[0096] First, a first substrate (300) was manufactured using the same epoxy material as a commercialized PCB. At this time, the dimensions (length × width × thickness) of the first substrate (300) were 100 mm × 100 mm × 1.6 mm.

[0097] An active heat dissipation module (1000) was manufactured according to the manufacturing example under the following conditions to have a structure similar to that of Fig. 1.

[0098] First, a first lower electrode (120) was formed using copper (Cu) through a printing process on one surface of a first substrate (300). The thickness of the first lower electrode (120) was 0.05 mm.

[0099] Afterwards, n-type and p-type first thermoelectric elements (130) sold by Russian company R were purchased and bonded onto the first lower electrode (120). The dimensions of the first thermoelectric element (130) were hexahedral, 1.25 mm × 1.25 mm × 0.8 mm.

[0100] Afterwards, a ceramic substrate from Chinese company A was purchased and applied as the first upper electrode (140) and the first heat dissipation substrate (150) of the first thermoelectric module (100). The dimensions of the first heat dissipation substrate (150) were 42 mm × 42 mm × 0.76 mm. Meanwhile, an electrode pattern corresponding to the first upper electrode (140) was provided on one surface of the ceramic substrate, and the thickness of the first upper electrode (140) was 0.4 mm.

[0101] Afterwards, a second thermoelectric module (600) was manufactured under the following conditions.

[0102] First, a ceramic substrate equipped with an electrode pattern from Chinese company A was purchased and applied as the second substrate (610) and the second lower electrode (620) of the second thermoelectric module (600). The dimensions of the second substrate (610) were 42 mm × 42 mm × 0.76 mm, and the thickness of the electrode pattern (i.e., the second lower electrode (620)) was 0.4 mm.

[0103] Thereafter, the second thermoelectric member (630), the second upper electrode (640), and the second heat dissipation substrate (650) were bonded under the same conditions as the first thermoelectric module (100).

[0104] Specifically, n-type and p-type thermoelectric elements (1.25 mm × 1.25 mm × 0.8 mm, hexahedral shape) sold by Russian company R were applied as the second thermoelectric element (630), and a ceramic substrate (42 mm × 42 mm × 0.76 mm, electrode thickness: 0.4 mm) equipped with an electrode pattern from Chinese company A was applied as the second upper electrode (640) and the second heat dissipation substrate (650).

[0105] The first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) manufactured by the above-described method were connected through a heat pipe (Best Plan A Co., 250 mm, 6Ø).

[0106] Meanwhile, the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) were mutually insulated through an insulating material.

[0107]

[0108] (Comparative example - manufacturing of active heat dissipation module)

[0109] After manufacturing a first substrate (300) with the same conditions as the active heat dissipation module according to the manufacturing example, a thermoelectric module manufactured under the following conditions was attached to the first substrate (300).

[0110] Specifically, a ceramic substrate (42 mm × 42 mm × 0.76 mm, electrode thickness: 0.4 mm) from Chinese company A with an electrode pattern was applied as the lower substrate and lower electrode of the thermoelectric module. N-type and p-type thermoelectric members (1.25 mm × 1.25 mm × 0.8 mm, hexahedral shape) sold by Russian company R were applied as thermoelectric members, and a ceramic substrate (42 mm × 42 mm × 0.76 mm, electrode thickness: 0.4 mm) from Chinese company A with an electrode pattern was applied as the upper electrode and heat dissipation substrate.

[0111] Afterwards, the manufactured thermoelectric module was bonded to one side of the first substrate (300) using a Thermal Pad (0.5 mm thick) from Thermal Grizzly.

[0112] In addition, a heat pipe (Best Plan A, 250 mm, 6Ø) was connected to the heat dissipation substrate of the thermoelectric module manufactured by the above-described method, and only one thermoelectric module was used, without using a separate second thermoelectric module.

[0113] Additionally, one end of the heat pipe in contact with the cooling plate is insulated through a thermoelectric module and an insulator.

[0114]

[0115] (Experimental Example 1. Measurement of heat dissipation characteristics)

[0116] A resistance heating element corresponding to a heat dissipation target element (400) is placed on the first surface (surface where the first thermoelectric module is not placed) of the first substrate (300) of the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example and the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example.

[0117] In addition, a cooling plate was placed so as to be in contact with the second heat dissipation substrate (650) of the second thermoelectric module (600) in the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example. The cooling plate used was the HH-15 chiller of the domestic company Jeiotech.

[0118] In the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example, the heat pipe was in direct thermal contact with the cooling plate, and the type of the cooling plate was the same.

[0119] Thereafter, temperature sensors were attached to compare and evaluate the heat dissipation effects of the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example and the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example. The temperature sensors were attached to a total of four locations, as follows.

[0120] Base out - Placed on one end of the heat pipe in contact with the second substrate of the second thermoelectric module in the manufacturing example, and placed on one end of the heat pipe in direct contact with the cooling plate in the comparative example.

[0121] Base in - Placed at the other end of the heat pipe in contact with the heat dissipation substrate of the first thermoelectric module

[0122] Sip (Bottom) - Placed on the first side of the first substrate where the resistance heating element is not placed.

[0123] Sip(Top) - Placed on the resistance heating element

[0124] Afterwards, the resistance heating element was heated to the same output (7.5 W, 77°C), the first thermoelectric module (100) and the second thermoelectric module (600) of the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example were operated under the condition of 3.75 W each, and the thermoelectric module of the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example was operated under the condition of 7.5 W, and the cooling plate was heated to a temperature of 80°C to simulate a high-temperature environment.

[0125] Afterwards, the temperature changes of each temperature sensor were measured using a logging device. Temperature measurements were taken using a DAQ6510-7700 logging device from Keithley. The results are shown in Figure 3.

[0126] Figure 3 is a comparative evaluation graph illustrating the excellent heat dissipation performance of the active heat dissipation module of the present invention. Specifically, Figure 3(a) is a temperature change graph of an active heat dissipation module according to a comparative example, and Figure 3(b) is a temperature change graph of an agricultural heat dissipation module according to a manufacturing example.

[0127] First, looking at the temperature change results of the Base in and Base out temperature sensors of (a) and (b) of FIG. 3, it can be confirmed that the temperature of one end and the other end of the heat pipe of the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example is lowered by about 14°C compared to the temperature of one end and the other end of the heat pipe of the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example. This means that the heat of the heat pipe was absorbed by the second thermoelectric module (600).

[0128] In addition, looking at the temperature change results of the Sip(Top) temperature sensor, it can be confirmed that the temperature of the top of the resistance heater of the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example is lowered by about 6℃ or more under saturation conditions compared to the temperature of the top of the resistance heater of the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example. That is, it can be seen that the active heat dissipation module according to the manufacturing example using two thermoelectric modules connected to enable mutual heat exchange can cool the heat dissipation target element more effectively under the same operating conditions than the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example using one thermoelectric module.

[0129] Meanwhile, looking at the temperature change results of the Sip (Bottom) temperature sensor, it can be confirmed that the temperature of the first surface of the first substrate (300) of the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example is lowered by about 7℃ or more under saturation conditions compared to the temperature of the first surface of the first substrate (300) of the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example. That is, it can be seen that the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example has a better cooling efficiency around the first substrate (300) than the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example under the same operating conditions for the thermoelectric module.

[0130] Meanwhile, looking at the temperature change graphs of the Sip(Top) and Sip(Bottom) temperature sensors in (a) of Fig. 3, in the case of the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example, it can be observed that the initial temperature of the top of the resistance heater and the first surface of the first substrate (300) decreases and then slightly increases. This is thought to be because, in the case of the active heat dissipation module according to the comparative example, the heat generated in the high temperature part of the thermoelectric module increases the ambient temperature of the device package, thereby lowering the cooling efficiency for the resistance heater.

[0131] In contrast, looking at the temperature change graph of the temperature sensors of Sip(Top) and Sip(Bottom) in (b) of Fig. 3, it can be confirmed that in the case of the active heat dissipation module according to the manufacturing example, the initial resistance heating body top temperature and the first surface temperature of the first substrate (300) are reduced and then the reduced temperature is maintained unchanged. Through this, it can be seen that the active heat dissipation module (1000) according to the manufacturing example can stably lower the temperature of the heat dissipation target element.

[0132] The foregoing description of the present invention is for illustrative purposes only, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention can be readily modified into other specific forms without altering the technical spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single entity may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0133] The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

[0134] The present invention can be applied to various industrial fields requiring cooling. For example, it can be used as a component for heat dissipation in various electronic devices or chips, such as semiconductors, displays, and batteries. The electronic devices described above can be applied to various electronic devices, such as computers, smartphones, and TVs, as well as automobiles and medical devices.

Claims

1. Heat dissipation target element; A first thermoelectric module configured to cool the above heat dissipation target element; and An active heat dissipation module comprising a second thermoelectric module configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module.

2. In paragraph 1, An active heat dissipation module further comprising a heat transfer unit that enables heat exchange between the high-temperature side of the first thermoelectric module and the low-temperature side of the second thermoelectric module.

3. In paragraph 2, The above first thermoelectric module A first substrate on which the heat dissipation target element is arranged; A first lower electrode in direct contact with the first substrate; A first thermoelectric element on the first lower electrode; a first upper electrode on the first thermoelectric member; and An active heat dissipation module comprising a first heat dissipation substrate disposed on the first upper electrode.

4. In paragraph 3, The above second thermoelectric module, Second substrate; A second lower electrode on the second substrate; A second thermoelectric member on the second lower electrode; a second upper electrode on the second thermoelectric member; and An active heat dissipation module comprising a second heat dissipation portion on the second upper electrode.

5. In paragraph 4, An active heat dissipation module, wherein the heat transfer unit is in thermal contact with the first heat dissipation substrate and the second substrate, respectively.

6. In paragraph 5, The heat of the above heat dissipation target element is released through the first substrate of the first thermoelectric module, The heat of the first thermoelectric module is released through the heat transfer unit and the second substrate of the second thermoelectric module, An active heat dissipation module in which the heat of the second thermoelectric module is dissipated through the second heat dissipation unit.

7. In paragraph 5, The above heat transfer unit is an active heat dissipation module including a heat pipe.

8. In paragraph 5, An active heat dissipation module, wherein the second heat dissipation unit includes a heat dissipation fin or a heat dissipation fan.

9. In paragraph 3, The above first substrate is a printed circuit board on which the heat dissipation target element is arranged, The above heat dissipation target element is arranged on one surface of the first substrate, The above first thermoelectric member is an active heat dissipation module arranged on the other surface of the first substrate.

10. In paragraph 9, An active heat dissipation module in which the first thermoelectric element is arranged to overlap the heat dissipation target element.

11. In paragraph 9, Further comprising a control unit for controlling at least one of the first thermoelectric module and the second thermoelectric module, The above control unit is an active heat dissipation module disposed on the one side or the other side of the first substrate.

12. In paragraph 11, The above control unit is arranged on the other side of the first substrate, A wiring pattern is formed on the other surface of the first substrate, The first electrode of the first thermoelectric module is formed on the same layer as the wiring pattern, An active heat dissipation module, wherein the first electrode is connected to the control unit through the wiring pattern.

13. In paragraph 1, It is configured to exchange heat with the second thermoelectric module, and further includes at least one n+2 thermoelectric module (wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 1). An active heat dissipation module in which the above n+2 thermoelectric module is composed of a plurality of thermoelectric modules, wherein the n+2 thermoelectric modules are connected to exchange heat with each other in series.

14. In paragraph 1, It further includes at least one n+2 thermoelectric module configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module and thermally independent from the second thermoelectric module (wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 1). An active heat dissipation module in which the n+2 thermoelectric module is configured to exchange heat with the first thermoelectric module in a parallel manner when the n+2 thermoelectric module is composed of a plurality of thermoelectric modules.

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