초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for controlling the temperature and pressure of confined substances is disclosed. Heat may be removed from or added to a substance within a tank or pipe by means of thermal conduction between the substance and a thermoelectric heat pump. As a result, undesired vaporization an

An apparatus and method for controlling the temperature and pressure of confined substances is disclosed. Heat may be removed from or added to a substance within a tank or pipe by means of thermal conduction between the substance and a thermoelectric heat pump. As a result, undesired vaporization and soldification of the substance within the tank is prevented and the temperature and pressure thereof may be controlled. A temperature and/or pressure sensor is utilized to activate the heat pump at appropriate times and various ways are disclosed to provide maximum thermal heat transfer between the substance within the tank and the heat pump.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for controlling the temperature and pressure of confined substances comprising: a. tank means having interior and exterior portions and adapted to receive a pressurized substance within the interior portion thereof; b. thermoelectric heat pump means including cold plate means, heat sink

An apparatus for controlling the temperature and pressure of confined substances comprising: a. tank means having interior and exterior portions and adapted to receive a pressurized substance within the interior portion thereof; b. thermoelectric heat pump means including cold plate means, heat sink means, a semiconductor material positioned between said cold plate and heat sink means and a power supply electrically connected to said semiconductor material, said heat pump means attached to said tank in a manner whereby undesired heat may be removed from and desired heat may be added to the interior of the tank by means of thermal conduction between the heat pump means and the tank interior; c. temperature sensing means and pressure sensing means each operatively associated with the interior of the tank and electrically connected to the heat pump means to activate the heat pump to remove heat from the tank when at least one of the temperature and pressure rises above a predetermined maximum level and to add heat to the tank when at least one of the temperature and pressure falls below a predetermined minimum level; and d. auxiliary heat conducting means attached directly to at least one surface of the cold plate of the heat pump means and placed in thermal communication with the interior of the tank to increase the efficiency of thermal transfer between the cold plate and the tank interior.