Patent ID: 7610756
Filing Date: 2009-11-03
Classification: G01R,H01L

Abstract:
1. A cooling/heating apparatus, comprising: a heat transfer medium circulation path for circulating a heat transfer medium therethrough; a heat transfer medium tank for storing the heat transfer medium; a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the heat transfer medium in the tank; a temperature controller for operating based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor; an inverter for operating at a variable frequency based on a signal from the temperature controller; and a Stirling heat engine for cooling or heating the heat transfer medium circulating in the heat transfer medium circulation path based on a signal from the inverter, the cooled or heated transfer medium being circulated to a load to thereby cool or heat the load, wherein the Stirling heat engine includes a first cylinder chamber; a second cylinder chamber communicating with the first cylinder chamber; a first and a second piston for expanding or compressing an operation gas in the first and the second cylinder chamber while moving in reciprocating motions with a specific phase difference in the first and the second cylinder chamber, respectively; and a driving mechanism for driving the first and the second piston, and wherein, when the driving mechanism is driven in a forward direction, the operation gas is expanded in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature decreases, thus cooling the heat transfer medium, whereas, when the driving mechanism is driven in a backward direction, the operation gas is compressed in the first cylinder chamber and its temperature increases, thus heating the heat transfer medium.