초록 ▼

Active cooling technologies such as thermoelectrics can be used to introduce thermal "gain" into a cooling system and, when employed in combination with forced flow liquid metal cooling loops, can provide an attractive solution for cooling high heat flux density devices and/or components. Total cool

Active cooling technologies such as thermoelectrics can be used to introduce thermal "gain" into a cooling system and, when employed in combination with forced flow liquid metal cooling loops, can provide an attractive solution for cooling high heat flux density devices and/or components. Total cooling power can be increased by employing multiple thermoelectric elements. Indeed, by employing modern semiconductor technologies, including e.g., thin-film technologies, thermoelectric elements may be cost-effectively employed and configured in large arrays.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A thermoelectric system comprising: plural thermoelectric modules, each including at least one thermoelectric element and together defining a thermoelectric array, individual ones of the thermoelectric elements having respective first and second sides and exhibiting respectiv

What is claimed is: 1. A thermoelectric system comprising: plural thermoelectric modules, each including at least one thermoelectric element and together defining a thermoelectric array, individual ones of the thermoelectric elements having respective first and second sides and exhibiting respective thermal differentials during operation; a first closed fluid loop pathway portion in thermal communication with the first sides of the thermoelectric elements; and a second closed fluid loop pathway portion in thermal communication with the second sides of the thermoelectric elements, wherein a counterflow topology of the first and second closed fluid loop pathway portions is structured to ensure that the respective thermal differentials are substantially uniform during operation with a thermal transfer fluid. 2. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, further comprising: the thermal transfer fluid disposed within at least one of the first and second closed fluid loop pathway portions. 3. The thermoelectric system of claim 2, wherein the thermal transfer fluid includes one or more of a liquid metal, a conductive fluid, and a conductive slurry. 4. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, further comprising: at least one electromagnetic pump to motivate flow of the thermal transfer fluid through one or both of the first and second closed fluid loop pathway portions. 5. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein the first and second closed fluid loop pathway portions are each part of a respective closed fluid loop for transfer of the thermal transfer fluid away from, and back to, the thermoelectric array. 6. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, further comprising: two distinct closed fluid loops for transfer of the thermal transfer fluid away from, and back to, the thermoelectric array, the first closed fluid loop including the first closed fluid loop pathway portion and in thermal communication with the first sides of the thermoelectric elements and the second closed fluid loop including the second closed fluid loop pathway portion and in thermal communication with the second sides of the thermoelectric elements. 7. The thermoelectric system of claim 6, further comprising, at least one electromagnetic pump to motivate flow of a liquid metal thermal transfer fluid through the first closed fluid loop pathway portion. 8. The thermoelectric system of claim 7, further comprising, at least one electromagnetic pump to motivate flow of a liquid metal thermal transfer fluid through the second closed fluid loop pathway portion. 9. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, further comprising: a single closed loop in thermal communication with both the first and second sides of the thermoelectric elements, the single closed fluid loop including both the first and the second closed fluid loop pathway portions. 10. The thermoelectric system of claim 9, wherein a single electromagnetic pump is disposed within the single closed loop to motivate flow of a liquid metal thermal transfer fluid through both the first and second closed fluid loop pathway portions. 11. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, further comprising: two at least partially overlapped closed fluid loops for transfer of the thermal transfer fluid away from, and back to, the thermoelectric array, the first closed fluid loop including the first closed fluid loop pathway portion and in thermal communication with the first sides of the thermoelectric elements and the second closed fluid loop including the second closed fluid loop pathway portion and in thermal communication with the second sides of the thermoelectric elements, wherein thermal transfer fluid from the first and second closed fluid loops is commingled at at least one point in the overlapped closed fluid loops. 12. The thermoelectric system of claim 11, further comprising: at least one electromagnetic pump disposed in an overlapped portion of the overlapped closed fluid loops. 13. The thermoelectric system of claim 1, wherein the flow topology traverses N-stages of the thermoelectric array, and wherein the flow topology is structured so that, at any particular one of the thermoelectric modules, impinging hot-side and cold-side flows respectively traverse x and N-1-x stages {x:0≦x