Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6948321?dq=6480844
Timestamp: 2015-07-04 22:36:22
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Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 09', 'Application No. 09', 'Application No. 09', 'Application No. 09', 'Application No. 10', 'Application No. 10', 'Application No. 10', 'Application No. 10']

Patent US6948321 - Efficiency thermoelectrics utilizing convective heat flow - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn improved efficiency thermoelectric system is disclosed wherein convection is actively facilitated through a thermoelectric array. Thermoelectrics are commonly used for cooling and heating applications. Thermal power is convected through a thermoelectric array toward at least one side of the thermoelectric...http://www.google.com/patents/US6948321?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6948321 - Efficiency thermoelectrics utilizing convective heat flowAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6948321 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/632,235Publication dateSep 27, 2005Filing dateJul 31, 2003Priority dateFeb 9, 2001Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS6672076, US7421845, US7926293, US8375728, US20020148234, US20040020217, US20050210883, US20090007572, US20110162389, WO2002065029A1, WO2002065029A8Publication number10632235, 632235, US 6948321 B2, US 6948321B2, US-B2-6948321, US6948321 B2, US6948321B2InventorsLon E. BellOriginal AssigneeBsst LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (43), Non-Patent Citations (19), Referenced by (12), Classifications (23), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetEfficiency thermoelectrics utilizing convective heat flow
If β maximum is designated by βm, and the COP for qc maximum by βc, the results are as follows: β m = T c Δ T c ( 1 + ZT m - T h T c 1 + ZT m + 1 ) ( 9 ) β c = ( 1 2 ZT c 2 - Δ T ZT c T h ) ( 10 ) where; Z = α 2 RK = α 2 ρ λ = Figure of Merit ( 11 ) T m = T c + T h 2 ( 12 ) R=ρ�length/area (13)
CpM=Thermal mass of fluid transported per unit time (21) The extra term leads to a new parameter δ, which is the ratio of convective to conductive heat transport. If it is assumed that the convective transport goes toward the hot end in the heating mode and the cold end in cooling, and appropriate boundary conditions are used, the solutions to Equation 20 for cooling and heating become; q C = α I T c - ξ ( δ ) 2 I 2 R - K ( δ ) Δ T ( 21 ) q h = α I T h + ξ ( δ ) 2 I 2 R - K ( δ ) Δ T ( 22 ) where; δ = CpM K ( 23 ) ξ ( δ ) = ( 2 δ ) ( δ + e - δ - 1 ) ( 1 - e - δ ) ( 24 ) K ( δ ) = K ( δ e - δ 1 - e - δ ) ( 25 ) Notice that K(δ) is a function of δ and approaches the conductive value K for δ�0. Also, for δ>0 a larger portion of the I2R heating is transported to the hot (in heating) or cold (in cooling) end. The term ξ(δ)/2�� when δ�0 as expected. Approximate values for ξ(δ) and K(δ)/K are given in Table 1. Note from Equation 2, that qin is not a direct function of δ. Also, a condition is imposed on δ by the energy balance requirement that CpMΔT (the power required to heat or cool the fluid) cannot exceed qh (the heat generated by the TE) or qc (the heat absorbed by the TE). Typically, this restricts δ to less than 5. Actual improvement in COP for allowable values for δ ranges up to about 100%. Similarly, qc improves by up to about 50%.
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