# US 8,464,781 B2 · Cooling systems incorporating heat exchangers and thermoelectric layers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,781 B2 - Document ID: US8464781B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/582,657 - Filed: 2006-10-17 - Published: 2007-02-15 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2002-11-01 - Assignees: Cooligy, Inc. - Applicants: Thomas W. Kenny; Mark Munch; Peng Zhou; James Gill Shook; Kenneth Goodson; Dave Corbin; Mark McMaster; James Lovette - Inventors: Thomas W. Kenny; Mark Munch; Peng Zhou; James Gill Shook; Kenneth Goodson; Dave Corbin; Mark McMaster; James Lovette - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464781B2 ## CPC - F04B 17/00: Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors - F04B 19/006: {Micropumps (F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence)} - F25B 21/02: using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect - F28D 15/00: Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls {; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies (F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence)} - F28D 15/0266: {with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers (F28D15/043 takes precedence)} - F28F 3/02: Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations (F28F3/08 takes precedence) - F28F 3/086: {having one or more openings therein forming tubular heat-exchange passages} - F28F 3/12: Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} - F28F 13/06: by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media {(F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026)} - F28F 13/185: {Heat-exchange surfaces provided with microstructures or with porous coatings} - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - H10N 10/13: characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction - H10W 40/28: comprising Peltier coolers - H10W 40/47: by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling - F25B 2321/0252: by liquids or two-phase fluids - F28D 21/0015: {Heat and mass exchangers, e.g. with permeable walls} - F28D 2021/0029: {Heat sinks} - F28F 2210/10: Particular layout, e.g. for uniform temperature distribution - F28F 2245/02: hydrophilic - F28F 2260/02: having microchannels - G06F 2200/201: Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid - H10W 40/475: {using jet impingement (H10W40/776 takes precedence)} - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A system for cooling a heat source includes a fluid heat exchanger, a pump, a thermoelectric device and a heat rejector. The thermoelectric device includes a cooling portion and a heating portion. The heat rejector is configured to be in thermal contact with at least a portion of the heating portion of the thermoelectric device. The pump is coupled with the fluid heat exchanger and configured to pass a fluid therethrough. The thermoelectric device is configured along with the heat exchanger in the cooling system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for cooling a heat source, comprising: a. a fluid heat exchanger; b. a pump, coupled with the fluid heat exchanger and configured to pass a fluid therethrough; c. a thermoelectric device having a cooling portion and a heating portion and configured so that at least a portion of the cooling portion is in direct conductive thermal contact with the fluid heat exchanger to cool the fluid heat exchanger; and, d. a heat rejector configured to be in direct conductive thermal contact with at least a portion of the heating portion of the thermoelectric device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device and the fluid heat exchanger are integrally formed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device and the fluid heat exchanger are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a manifold region for fluid delivery and a microscaled region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the microscaled region comprises one of the following: microchannels, micropillars, a microlattice, and a microporous region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device and the heat rejector are integrally formed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device and the heat rejector are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device, the heat rejector, and the fluid heat exchanger are integrally formed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is one of the following: an ionic pump and an electromechanical pump. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is positioned so the fluid heat exchanger is between it and the heat source, when the system is configured to cool the heat source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid heat exchanger, the thermoelectric device and the heat rejector form a stacked assembly where the thermoelectric device is positioned between the fluid heat exchanger and the heat rejector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein heat from the heat source flows into the fluid heat exchanger to the heat rejector via the thermoelectric device. ### Claim 13 A system for cooling an electronic device, comprising: a. a fluid heat exchanger; b. a pump, coupled with the fluid heat exchanger and configured to pass a fluid therethrough; c. a first thermoelectric device having a cooling portion and a heating portion and configured so that at least a portion of the cooling portion is in direct conductive thermal contact with the fluid heat exchanger to cool the fluid heat exchanger; d. a heat rejector configured to be in direct conductive thermal contact with at least a portion of the heating portion of the first thermoelectric device; and e. a second thermoelectric device having a cooling portion and a heating portion and configured so that at least a portion of the heating portion is in direct conductive thermal contact with the fluid heat exchanger to heat the fluid heat exchanger and so that at least a portion of the cooling portion is in contact with a portion of the electronic device to cool the portion of the electronic device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the first thermoelectric device and the fluid heat exchanger are integrally formed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the first thermoelectric device and the fluid heat exchanger are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the second thermoelectric device and the fluid heat exchanger are integrally formed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the second thermoelectric device and the fluid heat exchanger are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the first thermoelectric device and the heat rejector are integrally formed. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the first thermoelectric device and the heat rejector are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a manifold region for fluid delivery and a microscaled region. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the microscaled region comprises one of the following: microchannels, micropillars, microlattice, and a microporous region. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the first thermoelectric device, the second thermoelectric device, the heat rejector, and the fluid heat exchanger are integrally formed. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the pump is on of the following: an ionic pump and an electromechanical pump. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the thermoelectric device is positioned between the fluid heat exchanger and the electronic device, when the system is configured to cool an electronic device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the fluid heat exchanger is positioned between the thermoelectric device and the heat rejector. ### Claim 26 A system for cooling an electronic device, comprising: a. a fluid heat exchanger; b. a fluid conduit structure, coupled with the fluid heat exchanger; c. a pump, coupled with the fluid conduit structure and configured to pass a fluid therethrough and further through the fluid heat exchanger; d. a heat rejector, coupled with the fluid conduit structure and thermally coupled with the fluid contained therein; and e. a thermoelectric device coupled to the fluid conduit structure such that a first conduit of the fluid conduit structure is coupled between the fluid heat exchanger and the thermoelectric device and a second conduit of the fluid conduit structure is coupled between the thermoelectric device and the heat rejector, wherein the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled with the fluid heat exchanger and thermally coupled with the fluid contained therein. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the thermoelectric device and the conduit structure are integrally formed. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the thermoelectric device and the conduit structure are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a manifold region for fluid delivery and a microscaled region. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The system of claim 29, wherein the microscaled region comprises one of the following: microchannels, micropillars, a microlattice, and a microporous region. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the pump is one of the following: an ionic pump and an electromechanical pump. ### Claim 32 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled to a heat-rejecting structure. ### Claim 33 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the thermoelectric device is thermally coupled to a heat exchanger. ### Claim 34 A microprocessor cooling system, comprising: a. a fluid heat exchanger directly and conductively thermally coupled with a microprocessor; b. a thermoelectric device directly and conductively thermally coupled with the fluid heat exchanger and thermally coupled with the microprocessor via the fluid heat exchanger; c. a heat rejector thermally coupled with both the fluid heat exchanger and with the thermoelectric device; d. a pump configured to pass fluid through the fluid heat exchanger; and e. a heat transmitting path extending from the microprocessor to the fluid heat exchanger before extending towards the thermoelectric device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The microprocessor cooling system of claim 34, wherein the fluid heat exchanger, the heat rejector and the thermoelectric device are integrally formed. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The microprocessor cooling system of claim 34, wherein the fluid heat exchanger, the heat rejector and the thermoelectric device are modularly formed and coupled with one another. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The microprocessor cooling system of claim 34, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a manifold region for fluid delivery and a microscaled region. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The microprocessor cooling system of claim 37, wherein the microscaled region comprises one of the following: microchannels, micropillars, a microlattice, and a microporous region.