Patent · US Expired

Thermoelectric heating and/or cooling system using liquid for heat exchange

US4833888A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
11References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 16, 1988
Grant dateMay 30, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 16, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25B2321/0212
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A water purification or filtration system supplies purified or filtered water into an unpressurized, heavily insulated reservoir. A thermoelectric module thermally coupled to the reservoir pumps heat into or out of the reservoir, heating or cooling the purified water. A flow director thermally coupled to the thermoelectric module "shapes" room temperature water, which may be brine wastewater produced by the purification system or tap water diverted from the main water line by an in-line flow restrictor into a thin sheet flowing through a thin passage in the flow directors. Pumped heat from the thermoelectric module thereby is efficiently absorbed by the thin sheets of water, which may be discharged into a drain. A sealed electric pump delivers purified or filtered cooled (or heated) water to a spigot in response to actuating of a control switch.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.