Temperature control device, particularly a thermostatic device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control devices with thermoelectric generators face inefficiencies in heat sink design, leading to suboptimal energy harvesting from room air, particularly in heating and cooling systems, where the heat sink's effectiveness is limited by its size and ventilation requirements.
Innovation Solution
The temperature control device incorporates a cooling wall element as part of the housing that serves as a large surface area heat sink, combined with a cooling block, and features a convex outer wall design to enhance convection and reduce dust entry, eliminating the need for ventilation slots, and optionally includes a voltage booster for the thermogenerator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a conventional heat sink design is used with limited surface area, then the device structure is simple, but the energy harvesting efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a compact, low-surface-area heat sink to a wall-integrated heat sink that utilizes the two-dimensional wall surface. The heat sink is formed as an integral part of the housing wall, extending the heat dissipation surface across the wall area, thereby dramatically increasing the effective surface area for heat exchange with room air without adding volumetric complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing wall serves multiple functions: it provides structural enclosure, defines the device boundary, and simultaneously acts as the heat sink for thermoelectric energy harvesting. By integrating the heat sink function into the wall structure, the same component performs both protective/enclosure duties and thermal energy conversion duties, maximizing space utilization and energy harvesting efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If ventilation slots are added to improve heat sink effectiveness, then energy harvesting improves, but dust entry and interior contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a filter material that allows air permeation while blocking dust particles. This porous or semi-porous structure enables continuous air flow across the wall for effective heat sink operation, simultaneously preventing dust and contaminants from entering the device interior. The filter material acts as a selective barrier that permits thermal energy exchange while excluding particulate contaminants.
3Productivity
If the heat sink surface area is increased using wall integration, then convection efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the housing structure with the heat sink function by forming the heat sink as an integral part of the wall. Rather than adding a separate heat sink component, the wall itself is designed to serve as the heat dissipation surface, combining structural and thermal functions into a single integrated element, thereby improving convection efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 the heat sink effect, increasing energy harvesting efficiency by providing a larger surface area for heat dissipation and improved convection, while maintaining a clean and dust-free interior, and can be used in both heating and cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoelectric generator, referred to below for short as a thermogenerator, is used as an energy harvester, which works according to the Seebeck effect. In a thermal generator, two suitable different metals or semiconductors are brought into contact with one another. If a thermogenerator is brought into contact with areas of different temperatures in a suitable manner, a voltage is generated
Implementation Method 2
The temperature control device incorporates a cooling wall element as part of the housing that serves as a large surface area heat sink, combined with a cooling block, and features a convex outer wall design to enhance convection
Implementation Method 3
the thermally conductive support as a heat source is in thermally conductive connection with the heating inlet, while the heat sink is cooled by the room air
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The temperature regulating device has a housing (1) that is provided with a housing outer wall (19,20), a valve guidance element, a motor unit and an energy supplying device for the motor unit. The housing outer wall is provided for contact with surrounding atmosphere. The motor unit influences a valve guide element position. The energy supplying device has a heat generator. A heat sink has a cooling wall element that forms a part of the housing outer wall. The cooling wall element or cooling block is partly made of metal or metal alloy, particularly aluminum, brass or cooper.