Integrated thermoelectric cooling modules and blocks

Abstract

A new design of integrated thermoelectric cooling modules (ITCMs) was developed. The ITCM consists of a standard thermoelectric cooling module and two metal radiators in form of needles, fins, and so on soldered to outer metallized sides of ceramic plates of standard modules. The operation of the soldering of radiators can be combined with the operation of the assembling of modules. In result the ITCM manufacturing cost can be drastically reduced. Elimination of thermal conductive grease that is used in traditional devices considerably increases the ITCM efficiency. The ITCMs were used in thermoelectric (TE) blocks with heat exchangers of both air-air and air-water types. Especially high efficiency was reached in air-water cooling TE blocks. The radiators of the one ITCM side were inserted into the holes of the water heat exchanger and sealed there by an elastic epoxy compound. The radiators had direct contact with water. The radiators of the opposite ITCM side were inserted into the air duct of TE bloc. Proposed design of TE blocks has the following advantages: no special demands to geometrical characteristics and tolerances, high cooling capacity and low manufacturing cost. The typical TE bloc with heat exchangers of air-water type had the following characteristics: number of ITCMs-36, consumed electric power-1500 W, air temperature decrease-up to 30/spl deg/C for air flow of 150 m/sup 3//h.