Cold-End Heat Exchanger Layout Using Perpendicular Evaporation Planes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional semiconductor refrigerators face inefficiencies in heat exchange at the cold end due to low heat conduction and exchange efficiency between solid bodies, leading to bulky heat dissipation fins, increased noise, and reduced reliability from continuous fan operation.

Innovation Solution

A cold end heat exchanging device with a design that includes refrigerant pipelines with downwardly bent evaporation sections in vertical planes, allowing for phase-change heat exchange, and a thermally connected heat exchange surface to maximize effective evaporation area and reduce space occupancy, combined with retention steel wires for stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a heat radiator with forced convection is used for heat exchange at the cold end, then heat exchange capability is achieved, but heat conduction efficiency is low and space occupancy is high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidspace occupancy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The heat exchange function is segmented into multiple refrigerant pipelines with evaporation sections arranged in different vertical planes, distributing the heat exchange task across multiple independent channels to improve overall efficiency while maintaining compact dimensions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The evaporation sections are arranged in multiple vertical planes perpendicular to each other, utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently. This spatial arrangement increases the effective heat exchange area without proportionally increasing the device volume, resolving the contradiction between heat exchange capability and space occupancy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Loss of energy

If heat dissipation fins are made bulky to improve heat exchange, then heat dissipation capability increases, but space in the refrigerator is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidavailable space
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of expanding heat dissipation fins in a single direction which consumes space, the invention utilizes multiple vertical planes for arranging evaporation sections. This multi-planar configuration achieves enhanced heat dissipation capability by utilizing spatial dimensions efficiently without encroaching on valuable refrigerator storage space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of energy

If a fan is combined with heat dissipation fins for forced convection, then heat exchange efficiency improves, but noise increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidsystem reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the fan component from the heat exchange system. By utilizing phase-change heat exchange through refrigerant pipelines arranged in multiple vertical planes, the system achieves effective heat exchange without mechanical moving parts, thereby improving reliability while reducing noise and maintenance requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs phase-change heat exchange where refrigerant undergoes phase transitions (evaporation and condensation) within the pipelines. This phase-change mechanism provides high heat exchange efficiency without requiring forced convection fans, thus eliminating the associated noise and reliability issues while maintaining effective heat transfer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances heat dissipation efficiency, reduces space usage, and improves the reliability and energy efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator by optimizing heat transfer from the cold end to the storage compartment.

Implementation Method 1

an evaporation section which is downwardly bent and extends in a vertical plane and has a closed tail end, and a connection section which is upwardly bent and extends from a starting end of the evaporation section and is connected to the inner cavity or pipeline. Particularly, the evaporation sections of at least some of the plurality of refrigerant pipelines being arranged in two vertical planes which are perpendicular to each other.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase-change heat exchange: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

the heat conduction and exchange efficiency between solid bodies is low, and is not conducive to the optimal performance of the semiconductor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3220080B1Cold end heat exchanging device and semiconductor refrigerator
Publication Date: 2018.09.12 HAIER SMART HOME CO LTD
  • EP3220080B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3220080B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3220080B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cold end heat exchanging device (200) and a semiconductor refrigerator having the cold end heat exchanging device (200). The cold end heat exchanging device (200) comprises a cold end heat exchanging part (10) and a plurality of refrigeration agent pipelines (20). The cold end heat exchanging part (10) is used for limiting an inner cavity or a pipeline for containing a gas-phase and liquid-phase co-existing refrigeration agent. Each refrigeration agent pipeline (20) is provided with an evaporation section (21) that is downwards bent and extends in a vertical plane and has a sealed tail end, and a connection section (22) that is upwards bent and extends from a starting end of the evaporation section (21) and is communicated with the inner cavity or the pipeline. Evaporation sections (21) of at least some refrigeration agent pipelines (20) of the plurality of refrigeration agent pipelines (20) are distributed in two vertical planes that are perpendicular to each other. Because at least some evaporation sections (21) are distributed in the planes that are perpendicular to each other, at least one side wall and a rear wall of a liner can perform heat exchange with the evaporation sections, so that the cold radiation efficiency of the cold end heat exchanging device (200) and the energy efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator are improved.