Heat Exchanger Layer Assembly With Modular TEC Recesses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers with continuous layers of thermo-electric coolers (TECs) occupy more space and are sensitive to misalignments during assembly, making them inefficient and costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A layer assembly for a heat exchanger with a heat pump module interposed between thermal storage and flow-permissive layers, featuring a thermally conductive adhesive or paste attachment of TECs to a recessed island, and a thermally insulating interstitial layer to manage misalignments and enhance airflow, using metal foam for lightweight structural rigidity and turbulent flow promotion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a planar and generally continuous layer of TECs is used, then thermal energy transfer is maintained, but the overall space occupied increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous layer of TECs is segmented into discrete heat pump modules, each occupying a recess in the thermal storage layer. This segmentation reduces the overall space required while maintaining thermal energy transfer functionality through distributed modular units rather than a continuous planar layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat pump modules are nested within recesses of the thermal storage layer, with TECs attached to the thermal storage layer at the recess locations. This nesting arrangement allows the TECs to be interposed between the thermal storage layer and flow-permissive layer without adding significant external volume, minimizing the overall space occupied.
2Manufacturing precision
If TECs are directly attached to the thermal storage layer without clearance, then thermal contact is maximized, but tolerance for misalignments during assembly is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A thermally conductive adhesive or paste is used as an intermediary between the TEC and the thermal storage layer recess. This intermediary material accommodates misalignments and gaps while maintaining sufficient thermal contact, thereby improving manufacturing precision tolerance without significantly compromising thermal transfer reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally conductive adhesive layer acts as a flexible thin film that can deform to fill gaps and accommodate misalignments between the TEC and the recess, ensuring reliable thermal contact even when manufacturing tolerances are not perfectly met.
3Ease of manufacture
If the flow-permissive layer and thermal storage layer are attached directly, then structural rigidity is maximized, but tolerance during assembly and manufacture is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A compliant layer is introduced between the flow-permissive layer and thermal storage layer. This compliant layer acts as a flexible element that can deform during assembly to accommodate misalignments, thereby improving ease of manufacture and assembly tolerance while still providing sufficient structural connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The compliant layer serves as an intermediary between the rigid flow-permissive layer and thermal storage layer, allowing for tolerance accumulation during assembly while maintaining the structural integrity of the overall heat exchanger assembly.
4Manufacturing precision
If a clearance is provided between the island and flow-permissive layer, then assembly misalignment tolerance is improved, but airflow path efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The clearance between the island and flow-permissive layer is not uniform but is locally optimized. The compliant layer and recess geometry are designed to provide sufficient clearance for misalignment tolerance in critical areas while maintaining efficient airflow paths in other regions, achieving local quality optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap dimensions and compliant layer thickness are optimized as parameters to balance misalignment tolerance requirements with airflow efficiency requirements. By carefully selecting these dimensional parameters, both assembly tolerance and airflow productivity are satisfied.
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 configuration minimizes space usage, tolerates assembly misalignments, reduces manufacturing time and cost, and enhances thermal energy transfer efficiency by promoting airflow and structural integrity while maintaining thermal conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
The TEC may be attached to the recess using a thermally conductive adhesive, such as an epoxy that has been loaded with silver, which will tend to provide a suitable bond
Implementation Method 2
a matrix material charged with phase-change material (PCM) suitable for storing thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
The heat sink assembly includes a material which isothermally changes phase while absorbing heat energy
Implementation Method 4
an array of thermoelectric modules, regulates the quantity of heat energy transferred from the cooling medium to the heat sink assembly
Implementation Method 5
using metal foam for lightweight structural rigidity and turbulent flow promotion
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
There is disclosed herein a layer assembly for a heat exchanger, the layer assembly comprising: at least one heat pump module, the module comprising a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) attached to an island formed from a flow-permissive material; a flow-permissive layer provided with an island- reciprocating recess for substantially corresponding to and accommodating the island; a thermal storage layer comprising a heat transfer matrix material charged with a phase-change material, and provided with a TEC-reciprocating recess for substantially corresponding to and accommodating the TEC, wherein the TEC is attached to the thermal storage layer at a surface of the TEC- reciprocating recess, and the flow-permissive layer and the thermal storage layer are arranged such that the island of flow-permissive material extends into the island-reciprocating recess and a separation exists between the island and the flow-permissive layer. (Fig 1)