The present invention is related to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a semiconductor refrigerator.

A semiconductor refrigerator, also called a thermoelectric refrigerator, achieves refrigeration by using automatic voltage-and-current changing techniques and semiconductor cooling plates which radiate and transfer heat through highly efficient two-layered loop heat pipes. A semiconductor refrigerator does not require refrigerating working media and mechanically movable members, and solves the application problems of a traditional mechanical refrigerator such as contamination by working media and mechanical vibrations.

When refrigerating by the cold end of a semiconductor cooling plate, plenty of heat will be generated at the hot end thereof. To ensure reliable and continuous working of the semiconductor cooling plate, heat radiation is required for the hot end thereof. However, in the prior arts, usually heat exchange with an ambient environment is performed through heat pipes and heat radiating plates when radiating the heat at the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate.

An existing sintered heat pipe extends from its one end to the other along an exclusive path. When one end of the sintered heat pipe is heated, the liquid in the capillary core is evaporated and vaporized. The vapors flow to the other end due to a slight pressure difference, emits heat and condenses into liquid again. Then, the liquid flows to the evaporating segment again under the capillary force along porous materials. This process cycles endlessly, transferring the heat from one end to the other end of the sintered heat pipe. However, existing sintered heat pipes may not achieve desired effects when radiating heat for heat sources of a high heat flow density such as semiconductor cooling plates.

EP0592044A2 discloses a refrigerator according to the preamble of claim 1.

One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one defect of an existing semiconductor refrigerator by providing a semiconductor refrigerator with high heat radiation efficiency.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a semiconductor refrigerator comprising a semiconductor cooling plate and a hot end heat radiating device, wherein the hot end heat radiating device comprises multiple sintered heat pipes, each having a main pipe with both ends closed, wherein the main pipe comprises a first pipe segment thermally connected with a hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate, and a second pipe segment, which is located above the first pipe segment, and from whose one or more portions extend one or more manifolds to radiate heat from the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate to an ambient environment.

Optionally, the first pipe segment of the main pipe is formed by extending from a lower end of the main pipe vertically upwards by a predetermined length, and the first pipe segments of multiple main pipes are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with a rear wall of an inner tank of the semiconductor refrigerator.

Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further comprises: a fixed bottom plate whose front surface is thermally connected with the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate and whose rear surface is provided with one or more grooves; and a fixed cover plate whose front surface is provided with one or more grooves and which is configured to cooperate with the fixed bottom plate to clamp the first pipe segment of the main pipe between the grooves of the fixed cover plate and of the fixed bottom plate.

Optionally, the second pipe segment of the main pipe is formed by extending from an upper end of the main pipe vertically downwards by a predetermined length, and the second pipe segments of multiple main pipes are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the inner tank of the semiconductor refrigerator; or the second pipe segment of the main pipe is formed by extending from the upper end of the main pipe longitudinally forwards by a predetermined length and then vertically downwards by a predetermined length, the vertical portions of the second pipe segments of the multiple main pipes are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the inner tank of the semiconductor refrigerator, and a starting end of the manifold of the sintered heat pipe is located at the vertical portion of a corresponding second pipe segment.

Optionally, the manifold of the sintered heat pipe is perpendicular to the rear wall of the inner tank.

Optionally, the manifolds of each sintered heat pipe are located at the same side of the corresponding main pipe, or the manifolds of each sintered heat pipe are located at the opposite sides of the corresponding main pipe respectively.

Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further comprises: one or two fin groups, each fin group comprising multiple corresponding plate fins which are arranged in parallel and with gaps therebetween, and each fin group being installed at a manifold on a corresponding side of the main pipe via pipe holes of the respective plate fins.

Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further comprises: a blower arranged at a transverse side of or above the multiple manifolds and configured such that an air inlet area of the blower sucks air flow and the air flow is blown to a gap between each two adjacent plate fins, or the air flow is sucked from the gap between each two adjacent plate fins and is then blown to the air inlet area.

Optionally, the middle portion of each plate fin is provided with a receiving through hole so that each fin group defines a receiving space extending along the axes of the receiving through holes; the hot end heat radiating device further comprises one or two blowers respectively provided in the receiving spaces of the corresponding fin groups and configured such that air flow is sucked from an air inlet area of each blower and is blown to a gap between each two adjacent plate fins of the corresponding fin group.

Optionally, the hot end heat radiating device further comprises: multiple spiral fins each spirally installed on a corresponding manifold, and a blower arranged at a transverse side of or above the multiple manifolds such that the manifolds of each sintered heat pipe are located at an air inlet area or an air sucking area of the blower.

In the semiconductor refrigerator of the present invention, as multiple manifolds for radiating heat or transferring cold extend from the second pipe segment of the main pipe of each sintered heat pipe, the heat radiating or cold transferring efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator is considerably improved, enabling the sintered heat pipe to adapt to heat sources of a high heat flow density, such as semiconductor cooling plates, for radiating heat, and enabling the semiconductor refrigerator of the present invention to have higher energy efficiency.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by those skilled in the art more clearly with reference to the detailed description of the embodiments of the present below with reference to the accompanied drawings.

The followings will describe some embodiments of the present in detail in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference signs in the drawings represent the same or similar parts. Those skilled in the art shall understand that these drawings are only schematic ones of this invention, and may not be necessarily drawn according to the scales. In the drawings:

• Fig. 1 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a sintered heat pipe of a semiconductor refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 3 is a schematic rear view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 4 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 5 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and
• Fig. 6 is a schematic left view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figs. 1-3, an embodiment of the present invention provides a semiconductor refrigerator. The semiconductor refrigerator typically comprises an inner tank 100, a semiconductor cooling plate 150, a cold end cold transferring device 180, a hot end heat radiating device and a housing. The semiconductor cooling plate 150 may be installed between the rear walls of the inner tank 100 and of the housing.

The cold end cold transferring device 180 is configured to transfer the cold from the cold end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 to a storage compartment in the inner tank 100. For example, the cold end cold transferring device 180 may comprise a cold transferring block, cold transferring fins and a cold transferring blower. The rear surface of the cold transferring block is thermally connected to the cold end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150. The front surface of the cold transferring block is mounted with multiple cold transferring fins. The cold transferring fins and the cold transferring blower are mounted in an air passage inside the semiconductor refrigerator to transfer cold to the storage compartment.

The hot end heat radiating device is configured to radiate the heat from the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 to ambient air. The hot end heat radiating device may comprise multiple sintered heat pipes 200, each having a main pipe 210 with both ends closed. The main pipe 210 may comprise a first pipe segment 211 and a second pipe segment 212 located above the first pipe segment 211. The first pipe segment 211 is thermally connected with a hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150. Specifically, one or more manifolds 220 extend from one or more portions of the second pipe segment 212 to radiate the heat from the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 to an ambient environment, which considerably improves the heat radiating efficiency of the semiconductor refrigerator.

The working chamber of the manifold 220 may communicate with the working chamber of the corresponding main pipe 210 to facilitate steam flow in the sintered heat pipe 200. The liquid absorbing core in the manifold 220 may be connected with the liquid absorbing core in the main pipe 210. The liquid absorbing cores in the manifold 220 and in the main pipe 210 closely contact the inner wall of the corresponding pipes respectively to facilitate flow of the working liquid. Further, the diameter of the manifold 220 may equal that of the main pipe 210. In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of the manifold 220 may be smaller than that of the main pipe 210.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the first pipe segment 211 of the main pipe 210 is formed by extending from a lower end of the main pipe 210 vertically upwards by a predetermined length; and the first pipe segments 211 of multiple main pipes 210 are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of an inner tank 100 of the semiconductor refrigerator.

To facilitate heat connection between the sintered heat pipe 200 and the semiconductor cooling plate 150 and the fixing of the sintered heat pipe 200, the hot end heat radiating device of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 further comprises a fixed bottom plate 310 and a fixed cover plate 320. The rear surface of the fixed bottom plate 310 is provided with one or more grooves. The front surface of the fixed bottom plate 310 may be attached to the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 so as to be thermally connected therewith, or may be thermally connected the hot end of the semiconductor cooling plate 150 through a heat transferring block. The front surface of the fixed cover plate 320 is also provided with one or more grooves, and the fixed cover plate 320 is configured to cooperate with the fixed bottom plate 310 to clamp the first pipe segment 211 of the main pipe 210 between the grooves of the fixed cover plate 320 and of the fixed bottom plate 310. After clamping the sintered heat pipe 200 between the fixed cover plate 320 and the fixed bottom plate 310, the three members are firmly fixed together by welding or mechanical squeezing. To effectively transfer heat, usually heat conducting silicone grease is coated on the contact surfaces between the sintered heat pipe 200 and the fixed bottom plate 310/the fixed cover plate 320.

As shown in Fig. 2, the second pipe segment 212 of the main pipe 210 is formed by extending from an upper end of the main pipe 210 longitudinally forwards by a predetermined length and then vertically downwards by a predetermined length, and the vertical portions 2121 of the second pipe segments 212 of multiple main pipes 210 are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the inner tank 100 of the semiconductor refrigerator. That is, the second pipe segment 212 of multiple main pipe 210 may comprise the vertical portion 2121 whose lower end communicates with the corresponding first pipe segment 211 and a horizontal portion 2122 which extends from the upper end of the vertical portion 2121 perpendicularly to the vertical portion 2121 and whose tail end is closed. A starting end of the manifold 220 of the sintered heat pipe 200 is located at the vertical portion 2121 of a corresponding second pipe segment 212. Preferably, the projection of the manifold 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 in a plane perpendicular to the corresponding vertical portion 2121 overlaps with the projection of the corresponding horizontal portion 2122 in the plane. Or the manifolds 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at the same side of the corresponding main pipe 210.

As shown in Fig. 3, the main pipe 210 may further include a connecting pipe segment 213 connected between the first and second pipe segments 211, 212 and arranged at an angle of 100°-170° relative to the first pipe segment 211 and to the vertical portion 2121 of the second pipe segment 212 respectively. The hot end heat radiating device of the embodiments of the present invention may comprise four sintered heat pipes 200. The main pipes 210 of the four sintered heat pipes 200 are arranged in the same plane in symmetry with respect to a geometrical symmetry plane. The length of the connecting pipe segment 213 of one sintered heat pipe 200 at one side of the geometrical symmetry plane is smaller than that of the connecting pipe segment 213 of the other sintered heat pipe 200 at the same side of the geometrical symmetry plane, so that the four sintered heat pipes 200 are reasonably arranged. There may be one manifold 220 for each sintered heat pipes 200.

In the embodiments of the present invention, the manifold 220 of the sintered heat pipe 200 is perpendicular to the rear wall of the inner tank 100. Further, the hot end heat radiating device further comprises one fin group 400 comprising multiple corresponding plate fins which are arranged in parallel and with gaps therebetween, and the fin group 400 being installed at a manifold 220 on a corresponding side of the main pipe 210 via pipe holes of the respective plate fins. The fin group 400 may be installed at the horizontal portion 2122 of the second pipe segment 212 of the main pipe 210 via the pipe holes of the respective plate fins. Preferably, the middle portion of each plate fin is provided with a receiving through hole so that each fin group 400 defines a receiving space extending along the axes of the receiving through holes. The hot end heat radiating device further comprises a blower 500 provided in the receiving space of the corresponding fin group 400 and configured such that air flow is sucked from an air inlet area of the blower and is blown to a gap between each two adjacent plate fins of the fin group 400. The blower 500 may be a centrifugal blower. The rotary axis of the blades overlaps with the axis of the receiving through hole, so that air flow is sucked from an axial direction of the centrifugal blower and is blown to the gap between each two adjacent plate fins using a centrifugal force. The plate fin may be rectangular.

Fig. 4 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiments of the present invention, the second pipe segment 212 of the main pipe 210 is formed by extending from an upper end of the main pipe 210 vertically downwards by a predetermined length, and the second pipe segments 212 of multiple main pipes 210 are located in the same plane in parallel and with gaps therebetween, the plane being parallel with the rear wall of the inner tank 100 of the semiconductor refrigerator. The manifolds 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at the opposite sides of the corresponding main pipe 210 respectively. The hot end heat radiating device further comprises two fin groups 400 and a blower 500. Each fin group 400 comprises multiple corresponding plate fins which are arranged in parallel and with gaps therebetween, and is installed at a manifold 220 on a corresponding side of the main pipe 210 via pipe holes of the respective plate fins. The blower 500 may be arranged at a transverse side of or above the multiple manifolds 220 and configured such that an air inlet area of the blower sucks air flow and the air flow is blown to a gap between each two adjacent plate fins, or the air flow is sucked from the gap between each two adjacent plate fins and is then blown to the air inlet area. For example, the blower 500 is an axial flow blower fixed on top of the two fin groups 400.

Fig. 5 is a schematic right view of a semiconductor refrigerator according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figs. 5-6, the manifold 220 of the sintered heat pipe 200 is perpendicular to the rear wall of the inner tank 100. The manifolds 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at the same side of the corresponding main pipe 210, or are located at the opposite sides of the corresponding main pipe 210 respectively. The hot end heat radiating device further comprises: multiple spiral fins 450 and a blower 500. Each of the multiple spiral fins 450 is spirally installed on a corresponding manifold 220, and the blower 500 is arranged at a transverse side of or above the multiple manifolds 220 such that the manifolds 220 of each sintered heat pipe 200 are located at an air inlet area or an air sucking area of the blower 500. For example, the blower 500 may be an axial flow blower and may be located at one side transverse to the multiple manifolds 220.

In the embodiments of the present invention, as the manifolds 220 of a sintered heat pipe 200 are independent from those of the other sintered heat pipe 200, to avoid deformation of the sintered heat pipes 200 and the spiral fins 450, or specifically to avoid unnecessary deformation of the sintered heat pipes 200 and the spiral fins 450 due to transportation or installation so as to affect the performance of the hot end heat radiating device, the hot end heat radiating device further comprises one and/or two fastening members 600. The fastening member 600 may be fixed at an end of the second pipe segment 212 of a corresponding main pipe 210 away from the corresponding first pipe segment 211 along the length direction of the fastening member 600 at different parts of the fastening member respectively. The other fastening member 600 may be fixed at an end of the second pipe segment 212 of a corresponding main pipe 210 close to the corresponding first pipe segment 211 along the length direction of the fastening member 600 at different parts of the fastening member respectively. For example, the fastening member 600 may be a fastening steel bar, a fastening steel wire, a fastening tube or the like.

Although multiple embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described in detail, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present invention based on the content disclosed by the present invention or the content derived therefrom without departing from the scope of the present invention as claimed.