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US 11,700,682 B2Granted
Thermoelectric cooling of consumables in a plasma torch
AssigneeThe ESAB Group, Inc.
InventorAndrew Raymond
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plasma torch that includes an electrode having an exterior surface and a tip having an interior surface spaced apart from and facing the exterior surface of the electrode. A process gas flow channel located being located between the exterior surface of the electrode and the interior surface of the tip. A thermoelectric cooler having a cold plate and a hot plate is disposed between the exterior surface of the electrode and the interior surface of the tip with the cold plate being thermally connected to the exterior surface of the electrode. According to some implementations, electrical power is deliverable to the thermoelectric cooler only up electrical power being supplied to the electrode.
Claims20
A plasma torch assembly comprising a plasma torch that includes:
- an electrode having an exterior surface;
- a tip having an interior surface spaced apart from and facing the exterior surface of the electrode;
- a process gas flow channel located between the exterior surface of the electrode and the interior surface of the tip;
- and
- a thermoelectric cooler including a cold plate, a hot plate and dissimilar first and second electrical conductors, the first and second electrical conductors forming an array of alternating first conductors and second conductors that are arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel, the first electrical conductors being attached to an interior surface of the cold plate and the second electrical conductors being attached to an interior surface of the hot plate such that, when a current passes through pairs of the first and second electrical conductors, heat is pumped across pairs of the first and second conductors resulting in a cooling of the cold plate and a heating of the hot plate, the cold plate being electrically non-conductive and having an exterior surface thermally coupled to the exterior surface of the electrode, the hot plate being electrically non-conductive and having an exterior surface facing the interior surface of the tip that at least partially defines the process gas flow channel such that when a process gas flows through the process gas flow channel the process gas extracts heat from the hot plate, and one of the first and second electrical conductors being electrically coupled directly to the electrode.
2 more elements
A plasma torch assembly comprising a plasma torch that includes:
- an electrode having an exterior surface;
- a tip having an interior surface spaced apart from and facing the exterior surface of the electrode;
- a process gas flow channel located between the exterior surface of the electrode and the interior surface of the tip;
- a thermoelectric cooler including a cold plate, a hot plate and dissimilar first and second electrical conductors, the first and second electrical conductors forming an array of alternating first conductors and second conductors that are arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel, the first electrical conductors being attached to an interior surface of the cold plate and the second electrical conductors being attached to an interior surface of the hot plate such that, when a current passes through pairs of the first and second electrical conductors, heat is pumped across pairs of the first and second conductors resulting in a cooling of the cold plate and a heating of the hot plate, the cold plate being electrically non-conductive and having an exterior surface thermally coupled to the exterior surface of the electrode, the hot plate being electrically non-conductive and having an exterior surface facing the interior surface of the tip that at least partially defines the process gas flow channel such that when a process gas flows through the process gas flow channel the process gas extracts heat from the hot plate;
- and
- a thermal insulating element located between the exterior surface of the electrode and the exterior surface of the cold plate.
3 more elements
A plasma torch assembly comprising a plasma torch that includes:
- an electrode having an exterior surface;
- a tip having an interior surface spaced apart from and facing the exterior surface of the electrode;
- a process gas flow channel located between the exterior surface of the electrode and the interior surface of the tip;
- and
- a thermoelectric cooler including a cold plate, a hot plate and dissimilar first and second electrical conductors, the first and second electrical conductors forming an array of alternating first conductors and second conductors that are arranged electrically in series and thermally in parallel, the first electrical conductors being attached to an interior surface of the cold plate and the second electrical conductors being attached to an interior surface of the hot plate such that, when a current passes through pairs of the first and second electrical conductors, heat is pumped across pairs of the first and second conductors resulting in a cooling of the cold plate and a heating of the hot plate, the cold plate being electrically non-conductive and having an exterior surface thermally coupled to the exterior surface of the electrode, the hot plate being electrically non-conductive and having an exterior surface facing the interior surface of the tip that at least partially defines the process gas flow channel such that when a process gas flows through the process gas flow channel the process gas extracts heat from the hot plate, one of the first and second electrical conductors is electrically coupled to the electrode, and a voltage reduction circuit existing between the electrode and the one of the first and second electrical conductors.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.