Patent ID: 6591615
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: F25B,H01L

Abstract:
An electrical appliance comprising:a thermal conductor including a hollow heat-conducting member that has inner and outer walls confining an enclosed chamber therebetween, and a superconductor that is disposed in said chamber, said inner wall having a first inner surface, said outer wall having a second inner surface, an outer peripheral surface and a bottom surface; a heat-insulating layer provided on said outer peripheral surface of said outer wall; and a temperature control device including a thermoelectric unit disposed on and in thermal communication with said bottom surface of said outer wall of said heat-conducting member, said thermoelectric unit being electrically operable so as to operate in at least one of a heat-absorbing mode, where said thermoelectric unit absorbs heat from said thermal conductor so as to reduce temperature in said heat-conducting member, and a heat-radiating mode, where said thermoelectric unit radiates heat to said thermal conductor, and a control unit connected to said thermoelectric unit and operable so as to enable said thermoelectric unit to operate in a selected one of the heat-absorbing mode and the heat-radiating mode; and a power source connected to said temperature control device for supplying electric power thereto.