WO2003081406A1

WO2003081406A1 - Cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements

Info

Publication number: WO2003081406A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000783
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kang-Young Lee; Young-Ho Kim
Original assignee: Ec Tech Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2002-03-22
Filing date: 2002-04-26
Publication date: 2003-10-02
Also published as: KR100387358B1; AU2002255372A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, and more particularly, to a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements which includes a heat exchange unit for cooling the computer parts in a computer's main body by dissipating heat generated from the computer parts upon drive of a computer, so as to lower the temperature of the computer's main body. In order to accomplish the above objects according to the present invention, there is provided a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements comprising a heat exchange means for supplying cooled air to the interior of a PC case; a sensing means for sensing operation conditions of a blower fan and a heat dissipation fan in the heat exchange means and supercooling and overheating of a computer's main body; a control means for controlling the operation conditions of the heat exchange means in response to sensing signals from by the sensing means; a power supply means for supplying power to the heat exchange means and the control means; and a status display means for displaying malfunction status checked by the sensing means. As described above, the present invention has an advantage in that all the computer parts within the PC case can be cooled by providing the cooled air for the interior of the PC case using the heat exchange means.

Description

COOLING SYSTEM FOR COMPUTER PARTS USING THERMOELECTRIC

ELEMENTS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, and more particularly, to a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements which includes a heat exchange unit for cooling the computer parts in a computer's main body by dissipating heat generated from the computer parts upon drive of a computer, so as to lower the temperature of the computer's main body.

Background Art

In general, when a computer is used for a long time, a large amount of heat is generated from computer parts in a computer's main body, and accordingly, there is a fatal problem in that the operation speed of the computer is lowered, or the computer stops or malfunctions.

Cooling methods used to solve the above problem include a method in which heat sinks are coupled to the computer parts in the computer's main body to cool the computer parts, respectively, and a method in which a water cooling jacket is mounted on a CPU and cooling water is circulated therein to cool the CPU.

However, as for the cooling method in which the heat sinks are coupled to the computer parts to cool the computer parts, respectively, when the computer is used with a PC case closed, interior air of the PC case will not be mutually exchanged for exterior air of the PC case to result in increase of the interior air temperature of the PC case. Thus, there is a difficulty in cooling the heat sinks. As for the method in which the water cooling jacket is used, there is also a difficulty in installing a hose for the cooling water within the PC case.

In addition, there is another cooling method in which a thermoelectric element is used. In this method, a heat absorption portion of the thermoelectric element is in direct contact with a computer part, while heat radiation fins are coupled to a heat radiation portion of the thermoelectric element. However, when the heat absorption portion of the thermoelectric element is cooled, water condensate is formed on the heat absorption portion due to temperature difference between the heat absorption portion and the exterior air and comes in contact with a main board circuit of the computer. Thus, there is a problem in that electrical shocks and malfunctions may be generated.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is contemplated to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, in which all the computer parts within a PC case can be cooled at one time by providing cooled air for the respective computer parts within the PC case using a heat exchange means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, in which the temperature of a cool sink is prevented from reaching dew point by checking the cooling temperature through a sensing means so as to prevent malfunctions of the computer parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, in which a heat insulation plate and heat insulation spacers are provided between a cool sink and a hot sink of a heat exchange unit so as to reduce any heat loss.

In order to accomplish the above objects according to the present invention, there is provided a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements comprising a heat exchange means for supplying cooled air to the interior of a PC case; a sensing means for sensing operation conditions of a blower fan and a heat dissipation fan in the heat exchange means and supercooling and overheating of a computer's main body; a control means for controlling the operation conditions of the heat exchange means in response to sensing signals from the sensing means; a power supply means for supplying power to the heat exchange means and the control means; and a status display means for displaying malfunction status checked by the sensing means. Brief Description of Drawings

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a view generally showing a system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing a system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3a and 3b are flowcharts of a cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements according to the present invention;

FIG. 4a is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4b is a sectional view showing an assembled state of the heat exchange unit shown in FIG. 4a; FIG. 5a is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5b is a sectional view showing an assembled state of the heat exchange unit shown in FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6a is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6b is a sectional view showing an assembled state of the heat exchange unit shown in FIG. 6a;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the interior of a PC case in which a cooling system according to one embodiment of the present invention is mounted at a lower portion in the PC case;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the interior of a PC case in which a cooling system according to another embodiment of the present invention is mounted at the exterior of the PC case; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the interior of a PC case in which a cooling system according to a further embodiment of the present invention is mounted at a bay of the PC case.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view generally showing a system according to one embodiment of the present invention. A cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements according to this embodiment of the present invention comprises a heat exchange means 100 for supplying cooled air to the interior of a PC case; a sensing means 500 for sensing operation conditions of a blower fan 120 and a heat dissipation fan 130 in the heat exchange means 100 and supercooling and overheating of a computer's main body; a control means 200 for controlling the operation conditions of the heat exchange means 100 in response to sensing signals from the sensing means 500; a power supply means 300 for supplying power to the heat exchange means 100 and the control means 200; and a status display means 400 for displaying malfunction status checked by the sensing means 500.

The heat exchange means 100 includes a heat exchange unit 110, the blower fan 120, the heat dissipation fan 130 and a blower duct 140. Here, the heat exchange unit 110 includes a hot sink 112 having rectangular heat insulation protrusions 116 at the inside thereof for radiating absorbed heat; a cool sink 111 for generating cooled air; thermoelectric elements 113 stacked on the heat insulation protrusions 116, respectively, for taking heat from the cool sink 111; and heat insulation spacers 115 for forming a space to prevent any heat conduction. Here, the surface area of the cool sink 111 is about 0.49 m², and its coefficient of thermal conductivity is about 20.00 W/m^2°C .

The blower fan 120 serves to suck up the cooled air from the cool sink 111, while the heat dissipation fan 130 serves to dissipate heat from the hot sink 112 to the exterior.

In addition, the heat exchange unit 110 may further include a heat insulation plate

114 seated in the space formed by the heat insulation spacers 115 to prevent any heat transfer between the cool sink 111 and the hot sink 112. The constitution of the above heat exchange unit 110 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. The status display means 400 includes an alarm unit 410 operating in response to a malfunction signal from the sensing means 500, and a display unit 420 for displaying a temperature measured by the sensing means.

The sensing means 500 includes a fan operation monitoring sensor for sensing the operation conditions of the blower fan 120 and the heat dissipation fan 130 in the heat exchange means 100, and a temperature sensor for sensing the supercooling and overheating of the computer's main body.

When a direct electric current from the power supply means 300 is applied to the thermoelectric elements 113, heat from the cool sink 111 is taken by the hot sink 112 with a heat transfer phenomenon and thus the cool sink is cooled, and the hot sink 112 receives the heat from the cool sink 111 and radiates the heat. Here, the heat transfer phenomenon means that heat from a cool sink is transferred to a hot sink when a direct electric current power is applied to a thermoelectric element.

The blower fan 120 positioned at an outlet side of the cool sink 111 sucks up the cooled air from the cool sink 111 and then sends the cooled air through the blower duct 140 to the respective computer parts within the PC case. Here, the blower duct 140 is a passage for guiding the cooled air to the respective computer parts.

In addition, the heat dissipation fan 130 positioned below the hot sink 112 serves to dissipate heat from the hot sink 112 to the exterior.

If the heat exchange means 100 is operated, temperature sensors installed at inlet sides of the blower duct 140 and the cool sink 111 measure the cooling temperature and the exterior air temperature, and fan operation sensing sensors installed within the blower fan 120 and the heat dissipation fan 130 for sensing the operations of the fans sense stops of the fans and transmit fan stop signals to the sensing means 500. The control means 200 controls the operation of the heat exchange means 100 in response to the signals from by the sensing means 500.

FIG. 2 is a view of a system according to another embodiment of the present invention. A cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements according to this embodiment of the present invention comprises the heat exchange means 100 for supplying the cooled air to the interior of the PC case; the sensing means 500 for sensing the operation conditions of a blower fan 122 and the heat dissipation fan 130 within the heat exchange means 100 and the overheating of the hot sink 112 in the heat exchange means 100; the power supply means 300 for supplying power to the heat exchange means 100; and the status display means 400 for displaying the malfunction status checked by the sensing means 500. The heat exchange means 100 includes the heat exchange unit 110, the blower fan

122, the heat dissipation fan 130 and the blower duct 140. Here, the heat exchange unit 110 has the same constitution as FIG. 1.

The blower fan 122 is positioned at the inlet side of the cool sink 111, and serves to guide the exterior air to the cool sink 111 so that the exterior air is converted into cooled air by passing through the cool sink 111. Here, the surface area of the cool sink 111 is about 0.39 m², and its coefficient of thermal conductivity is about 20.00 W/m^2°C.

In addition, the heat dissipation fan 130 is positioned at an inlet side of the hot sink 112, and serves to discharging overheated air within the PC case to the exterior of the PC case and simultaneously to dissipate heat from the hot sink 112 by passing the overheated air through the hot sink 112.

The status display means 400 includes a malfunction sensing unit 440 for sensing stops of the fans, an alarm unit 410 for raising an alarm upon generation of fan stop signals, and a lamp unit 430 operating upon overheating of the hot sink 112.

The sensing means 500 includes the fan operation sensing sensors for sensing the stops of the fans, and a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the interior of the heat exchange means 100.

When the heat exchange means 100 is operated, the fan operation sensing sensors installed in the blower fan 122 and the heat dissipation fan 130 sense the presence of the stops of the blower fan 122 and the heat dissipation fan 130, and transmit the fan stop signals to the malfunction sensing unit 440 when the blower fan 122 or the heat dissipation fan 130 is stopped. The malfunction sensing unit 440 raises the alarm from the alarm unit 410 when one or more fan stop signals are detected. In addition, the temperature sensor installed within the hot sink 112 measures the temperature of the hot sink 112, and operates a lamp of the lamp unit 430 upon excess of a predetermined temperature. FIGS. 3a and 3b are flowcharts of the cooling system for the computer parts using the thermoelectric elements according to the present invention. First, the blower fan 120 and the heat dissipation fan 130 are driven by application of an electric current (S100), and the control means 200 checks whether or not the blower fan 120 and the heat dissipation fan 130 are normally driven (SI 10). Here, in order to check whether or not the blower fan 120 and the heat dissipation fan 130 are normally driven, it is preferable to use an RMP (revolutions per minute) method of checking the revolution number of the fans per minute for judging whether or not the fans are normally driven. However, the other methods may be used.

An alarm is raised when the blower fan 120 or the heat dissipation fan 130 is not normally driven (SI 12), and the cooling temperature, the CPU temperature and the exterior/interior air temperatures in the PC case are measured when the fans are normally driven (SI 14). After the temperature measurement has been completed, the measured temperatures are compared with relevant predetermined temperatures (SI 16). Here, when the measured temperatures are higher than the respective predetermined temperatures, power supplied to the thermoelectric elements 113 is cut off and the alarm is raised (SI 18, S120). On the contrary, when the measured temperatures are lower than the respective predetermined temperatures, the measured temperatures are displayed on the display unit 420 (S122). Here, in step S116, the cooling temperature, the CPU temperature and the exterior/interior air temperatures in the PC case are compared with the predetermined cooling temperature, CPU temperature and exterior/interior air temperatures in the PC case, respectively (S116). Here, since steps S110 to S122 are operated by periods, the malfunction status of the cooling system can be instantly checked.

In the meantime, step SI 14 further comprises a step of checking the presence of the dew point (FIG. 3b). Here, after the cooling temperature, the CPU temperature and the exterior/interior air temperatures in the PC case have been measured (SI 14), the measured cooling temperature is compared with the exterior air temperature (S114-1) and the cooling temperature is checked whether or not it is the dew point of the exterior air (S114-2). If the cooling temperature is the dew point, the alarm is raised (S114-3). Otherwise, the procedure proceeds to step S116. FIG. 4a is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit according to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4b is a sectional view showing an assembled state of the heat exchange unit according to this embodiment of the present invention.

The hot sink 112 comprises heat radiation fins 112a at the outside thereof and a sink 112b at the inside thereof. The heat sink 112b includes a plurality of threaded holes 117 arranged in the longitudinal direction at the center of the inside thereof and heat insulation protrusions 116 spaced apart from one another at a constant interval. The cool sink 111 comprises cooling fins Ilia at the outside thereof and a cooling plate 111b at the inside thereof. The cooling fin Ilia and the cooling plate 111b are formed with a plurality of threaded holes 118.

Heat insulation spacers 115 with male and female thread portions mutually fasten the hot sink 112 and the cool sink 111 through the thermoelectric elements 113 seated on the heat insulation protrusions 116. Here, a predetermined space is created as much as the length of the spacers 115. The space provides a heat insulation effect of reducing any heat loss between the cool sink 111 and the hot sink 112.

FIG. 5a is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 5b is a sectional view showing an assembled state of the heat exchange unit according to this embodiment of the present invention. A heat insulation plate 114 having the same thickness as the total thickness of one heat insulation protrusion 116 and one thermoelectric element 113 is positioned between the hot sink 112 and the cool sink 111. Here, the heat insulation plate 114 is further provided with throug holes 119 into which the heat insulation protrusions 116 and the thermoelectric elements 113 are fitted at positions corresponding to the heat insulation protrusions 116 and the thermoelectric elements 113.

Since the heat exchange unit 110 shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b has the same constitution as the heat exchange unit 110 shown in FIG. 4 except that it has the heat insulation plate 114, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6a is an exploded perspective view of a heat exchange unit according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 6b is a sectional view showing an assembled state of the heat exchange unit according to this embodiment of the present invention.

The heat insulation protrusions 116 are formed traversely at a constant interval on the heat sink 112b, and heat insulation plates 114 have the same thickness as the heat insulation protrusions 116, respectively, and are seated between the heat insulation protrusions 116 disposed at the constant interval. In the meantime, since the heat insulation plates 114 have the same thickness as the heat insulation protrusions 116, a predetermined space is created between the heat insulation plate 114 and the cool sink 111. A double-layered structure of the heat insulation plate 114 and the space further enhances a heat insulation effect.

Since the heat exchange unit 110 shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b has the same constitution as the heat exchange unit 110 shown in FIG. 5 except that the thickness and shape of the heat insulation plate 114 have been modified, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the interior of a PC case in which a cooling system according to one embodiment of the present invention is mounted at a lower portion in the PC case. The heat exchange means 100 is positioned integrally at a lower or upper end of the PC case to supply the cooled air through the blower duct 140 to the respective computer parts (hereinafter, it is referred as an integral-type). FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the interior of a PC case in which a cooling system according to another embodiment of the present invention is mounted at the exterior of the PC case. The heat exchange means 100 is positioned at the exterior of the PC case to supply the cooled air through the blower duct 140 to the respective computer parts (hereinafter, it is referred as an external-type). In addition, since the heat exchange means is mounted at the exterior of the PC case, it can be conveniently installed without exchanging the existing computer case.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the interior of a PC case in which a cooling system according to a further embodiment of the present invention is mounted at a bay of the PC case. Since the heat exchange means 100 is positioned at a bay of the PC case (hereinafter, it is referred as an internal-type), the maximum cooling efficiency can be obtained even with a narrow space. The heat exchange means 100 mounted at the bay of the PC case is effective to cool a specific part in the computer's main body.

Table 1 shows product specifications and performance of the integral-type, external-type and internal-type cooling systems.

Table 1

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it can be understood by the skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention defined by the claims.

Industrial Applicability

According to the present invention described above, there is an advantage in that the respective computer parts within the PC case can be cooled by providing the cooled air for the interior of the PC case using the heat exchange means.

Furthermore, there is another advantage in that the temperature of the cool sink can be prevented from reaching the dew point by checking the cooling temperature through the sensing means, and thus, fatal problems such as the malfunctions of the computer parts due to moisture can be prevented.

Furthermore, there is further advantages in that any heat loss can be prevented by providing the heat insulation plate(s) and the heat insulation spacers between the cool sink and the hot sink, and in that heat is prevented from being transferred to the heat exchange unit by providing the heat insulation protrusions for the hot sink, thereby enhancing a cooling effect.

Furthermore, there is a still further advantage in that since a secondary effect of lowering the temperature within the PC case can be accomplished, the computer parts can be stably operated to result in extended lives.

Claims

1. A cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, comprising: a heat exchange means for supplying cooled air to the interior of a PC case; a sensing means for sensing operation conditions of a blower fan and a heat dissipation fan in the heat exchange means and supercooling and overheating of a computer's main body; a control means for controlling the operation conditions of the heat exchange means in response to sensing signals from the sensing means; a power supply means for supplying power to the heat exchange means and the control means; and a status display means for displaying malfunction status checked by the sensing means.

2. The cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchange means includes a heat exchange unit, the blower fan, the heat dissipation fan and a blower duct, and wherein the heat exchange unit includes a hot sink having rectangular heat insulation protrusions at the inside thereof for radiating absorbed heat, a cool sink for generating cooled air, thermoelectric elements stacked on the heat insulation protrusions, respectively, for taking heat from the cool sink, and heat insulation spacers for forming a space for preventing any heat conduction.

3. The cooling system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat exchange unit further includes a heat insulation plate seated in the space formed by the heat insulation spacers to prevent any heat transfer between the hot sink and the cool sink.

4. The cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the status display means includes an alarm unit operating in response to an error signal from the sensing means, and a display unit for displaying temperatures measured by the sensing means.

5. The cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchange means is mounted integrally with a lower portion of the PC case.

6. The cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchange means is mounted at the exterior of the PC case.

7. The cooling system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface area of the cool sink is about 0.49 m².

8. A method of cooling computer parts using thermoelectric elements, comprising the steps of: checking, by a control means, whether or not a heat dissipation fan and a blower fan are normally driven upon operation of a cooling system; measuring a cooling temperature, a CPU temperature, and exterior/interior air temperatures in the PC case when the heat dissipation fan and the blower fan are normally driven; comparing the measured temperatures with relevant predetermined temperatures; and displaying the measured temperatures when they are in normal ranges.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of measuring the cooling temperature, the CPU temperature and the exterior air/interior air temperatures in the PC case further includes the steps of: comparing the measured cooling temperature with the exterior air temperature; and checking whether or not the cooling temperature is the dew point of the exterior air.

10. A cooling system for computer parts using thermoelectric elements, comprising: a heat exchange means for supplying cooled air to the interior of a PC case; a sensing means for sensing operation conditions of a blower fan and a heat dissipation fan in the heat exchange means and overheating of a hot sink in the heat exchange means; a power supply means for supplying power to the heat exchange means; and a status display means for displaying malfunction status checked by the sensing means.

11. The cooling system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat exchange means includes a heat exchange unit, the heat dissipation fan, a heat absorption fan and a blower duct, and wherein the heat exchange unit includes a hot sink having rectangular heat insulation protrusions at the inside thereof for radiating absorbed heat, a cool sink for generating cooled air, thermoelectric elements stacked on the heat insulation protrusions, respectively, for taking heat from the cool sink, and heat insulation spacers for forming a space for preventing any heat conduction.

12. The cooling system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the heat exchange unit further includes a heat insulation plate seated in the space formed by the heat insulation spacers to prevent any heat transfer between the hot sink and the cool sink.

13. The cooling system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the status display means further includes a malfunction sensing unit for sensing stops of the fans, an alarm unit for raising an alarm upon generation of fan stop signals, and a lamp unit operating upon overheating of the hot sink.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the heat exchange means is mounted at a bay of the PC case.

15. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein a surface area of the cool sink is about 0.39 m².