Peltier Heat Pipe Serving Unit for Simultaneous Heating and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for heating and cooling in food service settings, such as ice or refrigeration systems, are inefficient, costly, and pose health risks due to combustion products or require bulky and costly equipment, while traditional servers generate noise and are not easily portable.
Innovation Solution
A temperature control system using semiconductor Peltier devices and heat pipes to efficiently heat or cool serving surfaces, with a control device activating the Peltier devices based on measured temperature and incorporating hysteresis to reduce cycling, allowing for simultaneous heating and cooling without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional refrigeration systems are used for cooling, then cooling capability is achieved, but the systems are bulky and costly requiring condensers, coils and harmful chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex condenser, coil, and chemical refrigerant components from conventional refrigeration systems by using Peltier devices (thermoelectric coolers) that achieve cooling through solid-state semiconductor elements without requiring these traditional components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical refrigeration system with an electrical-based Peltier device system that uses electric current to directly generate cooling or heating effects, eliminating the need for mechanical compressors, condensers, and expansion devices
2Reliability
If flame sources are used for heating, then heating capability is achieved, but local hot spots and uneven heating occur and combustion products create health risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces flame-based thermal heating with electrically-driven Peltier heating elements that provide controlled, uniform heat distribution without combustion, eliminating all harmful combustion products while maintaining effective heating capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies heating or cooling locally at the serving surface level using distributed Peltier devices, providing uniform temperature control across the surface without the localized hot spots that occur with flame sources
3Reliability
If traditional servers with active exchange devices are used, then temperature control is achieved, but noise is generated and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the active exchange device (liquid circulation pump) from traditional temperature control servers, replacing it with solid-state Peltier devices that require no moving parts, fluid circulation, or mechanical components, thereby eliminating noise generation while maintaining effective temperature control
Solution Approach 2:
The Peltier devices perform temperature control functions directly at the heat source/sink without requiring external active exchange devices or fluid circulation systems, making the system self-contained and eliminating noise-generating components
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
The system provides efficient, cost-effective, and safe temperature control for food service, reducing noise and health risks, and enabling portability and simultaneous heating and cooling operations.
Implementation Method 1
Heat is transferred to or from the serving surface through a semiconductor device (e.g., a Peltier device), a heat pipe and a heat sink
Implementation Method 2
Heat is transferred to or from the serving surface through a semiconductor device (e.g., a Peltier device), a heat pipe and a heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the invention support simultaneous operation of a cooling side and a heating side of an apparatus to change the temperatures of a cooling serving surface and a heating serving surface, respectively. A cooling semiconductor device (which may comprise one or more Peltier devices) transfers heat from its top to its bottom while a heating semiconductor device (which may similarly comprise one or more Peltier devices) transfers heat from its bottom to its top. A heat pipe transfers waste heat from the cooling semiconductor device's bottom to the heating semiconductor device's bottom and waste cold from the heating semiconductor device's bottom to the cooling semiconductor device's bottom.