Semiconductor Refrigerator Phase-Change Cooling for Quiet Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor refrigerators face inefficiencies in heat exchange due to low heat conduction between solid bodies, leading to suboptimal performance, increased noise, and reduced reliability from bulky heat dissipation fins and continuous fan operation.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor refrigerator employs multiple cold end heat exchanging devices with three refrigerant pipelines, each with an evaporation section thermally connected to the rear and side walls, facilitating phase-change heat exchange and eliminating the need for a fan, thereby enhancing heat exchange efficiency and reducing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a heat radiator with forced convection is used to transfer cold from the semiconductor cooler, then heat exchange can be achieved, but the heat conduction efficiency is low and the device occupies much space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phase-change heat exchange (evaporation and condensation of refrigerant) instead of solid-to-solid heat conduction. The refrigerant undergoes phase transitions in the closed pipelines, absorbing and releasing heat efficiently, which resolves the low heat conduction efficiency problem while eliminating the need for bulky heat dissipation fins
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces solid heat conduction paths with fluid-based heat transfer using refrigerant circulating through pipelines. The refrigerant flows through the closed-loop pipelines, enabling efficient heat exchange through fluid dynamics and phase change, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency while reducing the volume required
2Loss 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 due to continuous operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the fan component from the system by using passive phase-change heat exchange through closed refrigerant pipelines. The refrigerant circulation system operates without mechanical moving parts, thereby improving reliability by removing the continuous operation requirement of the fan while maintaining effective heat exchange
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical forced convection system (fan and heat dissipation fins) with a thermodynamic system based on phase-change heat exchange. The refrigerant's phase transitions drive the heat exchange process without requiring mechanical agitation, eliminating noise and improving reliability
3Use of energy by moving object
If solid-to-solid heat conduction is used between the heat radiator and semiconductor cooler, then direct heat transfer is achieved, but the heat conduction efficiency remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solid-to-solid heat conduction with fluid-based heat transfer using refrigerant in closed pipelines. The refrigerant circulates through the pipelines, enabling efficient heat exchange through convection and phase change, which significantly improves heat conduction efficiency compared to solid-to-solid contact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of the refrigerant (evaporation at the cold end, condensation at the hot end) to enhance heat exchange efficiency. This phase-change mechanism provides superior heat transfer coefficients compared to solid-to-solid conduction, resolving the efficiency problem
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 significantly improves energy efficiency, reduces noise, and increases reliability by maximizing the heat exchange area and utilizing phase-change circulation for effective temperature transfer from the semiconductor cooler to the storage compartment.
Implementation Method 1
configured to allow the refrigerant to flow therein and undergo phase-change heat exchange
Implementation Method 2
each refrigerant pipeline having an evaporation section
Implementation Method 3
The heat conduction and exchange efficiency between solid bodies is low
Data Source
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AI summary
A semiconductor refrigerator comprises a liner (100), at least one semiconductor refrigerating sheet and a plurality of cold-end heat exchanging devices (200). Each cold-end heat exchanging device (200) is configured to allow a refrigerant to flow and perform phase-change heat exchange in the cold-end heat exchanging device (200), so as to transfer cold at a cold end of the at least one semiconductor refrigerating sheet to a storage chamber of the liner (100). Each cold-end heat exchanging device (200) is provided with three refrigerant pipelines (20), each refrigerant pipeline (20) is provided with an evaporating segment (21) with a closed end that is bent and extended downwards in a vertical plane, and evaporating segments (21) of the three refrigerant pipelines (20) of each cold-end heat exchanging device (200) are respectively connected to a rear wall and two side walls of the liner (100) in a thermal manner. Because the plurality of cold-end heat exchanging devices (200) is provided, an effective heat exchange area of a thermal connection to the liner (100) of the refrigerator is enlarged significantly, and therefore energy efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator is improved significantly.