Temperature control system and method

Abstract

A temperature control system for a frame ( 20 ) including a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element ( 32 ) having a first face ( 34 ) and a second face ( 36 ), the TEC element ( 32 ) disposed to form a gap ( 50 ) between the first face ( 34 ) and the frame ( 20 ), and a fluid heat transfer element ( 38 ) thermally connected to the second face ( 36 ). The temperature control system also employs a thermal group, a flushable reservoir, and/or a phase change element, as desired.

1 . A temperature control system for a frame  20  comprising:
 a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element  32 , the TEC element  32  having a first face  34  and a second face  36 , the TEC element  32  disposed to form a gap  50  between the first face  34  and the frame  20 ; and   a fluid heat transfer element  38 , the fluid heat transfer element  38  being thermally connected to the second face  36 .   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a TEC radiative coating  52  disposed on the first face  34 . 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the frame  20  has a frame radiative coating  54 . 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the frame  20  has a thermal device  22  and the gap  50  is formed about the thermal device  22 . 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a temperature sensor  68 , the temperature sensor  68  being thermally connected to the frame  20  and generating a measured frame temperature signal  102 ;   a comparator  108 , the comparator  108  determining a difference between the measured frame temperature signal  102  and a desired temperature signal  106 , and generating a temperature difference signal  110 ; and   a temperature controller  112 , the temperature controller  112  being responsive to the temperature difference signal  110  and generating a TEC control signal  114 ;   wherein the TEC element  32  is responsive to the TEC control signal  114 .   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the frame  20  has a thermal device  22 , further comprising:
 a thermal device controller  116 , the thermal device controller  116  operably connected to control the thermal device  22 , and generating a thermal device signal  118 ;   wherein the temperature controller  112  is additionally responsive to the thermal device signal  118 .   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  has a flushable reservoir  70 . 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  has a fluid passage  40  and a valve  72  connected to control flow through the fluid passage  40 , the valve  72  being selected from the group consisting of a stop valve and a flow control valve. 
   
   
       9 . A temperature control system for a frame  20  comprising:
 a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element  32 , the TEC element  32  having a first face  34  and a second face  36 ; and   a thermal group  60 , the thermal group  60  having a thermal device  22  and a fluid heat transfer element  38 , the thermal device  22  being thermally connected to the fluid heat transfer element  38 ;   wherein the first face  34  is thermally connected to the frame  20  and the second face  36  is thermally connected to the thermal group  60 .   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the thermal device  22  is thermally connected to the second face  36 . 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  is thermally connected to the second face  36 . 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising a mounting pad between the thermal group  60  and the frame  20  in parallel with the TEC element  32 . 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the frame  20  has an insulating layer  64  and a conducting layer  66 , wherein the conducting layer  66  is disposed on the insulating layer  64 , and the conducting layer  66  is thermally connected to the first face  34 . 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a mounting pad  62  between the first face  34  and the frame  20  in parallel with the TEC element  32 . 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a temperature sensor  68  thermally connected to the conducting layer  66 , the temperature sensor generating  68  a measured frame temperature signal. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a temperature sensor  68 , the temperature sensor  68  being thermally connected to the frame  20  and generating a measured frame temperature signal  102 ;   a comparator  108 , the comparator  108  determining a difference between the measured frame temperature signal  102  and a desired temperature signal  106 , and generating a temperature difference signal  110 ; and   a temperature controller  112 , the temperature controller  112  being responsive to the temperature difference signal  110  and generating a TEC control signal  114 ;   wherein the TEC element  32  is responsive to the TEC control signal  114 .   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the frame  20  has a thermal device  22 , further comprising:
 a thermal device controller  116 , the thermal device controller  116  operably connected to control the thermal device  22 , and generating a thermal device signal  118 ;   wherein the temperature controller  112  is additionally responsive to the thermal device signal  118 .   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  has a flushable reservoir  70 . 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  has a fluid passage  40  and a valve  72  connected to control flow through the fluid passage  40 , the valve  72  being selected from the group consisting of a stop valve and a flow control valve. 
   
   
       20 . A temperature control system for a frame  20  comprising:
 a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element  32 , the TEC element  32  having a first face  34  and a second face  36 ; and   a fluid heat transfer element  38 , the fluid heat transfer element  38  having a flushable reservoir  70 ;   wherein the first face  34  is thermally connected to the frame  20  and the second face  36  is thermally connected to the fluid heat transfer element  38 .   
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising:
 a temperature sensor  68 , the temperature sensor  68  being thermally connected to the frame  20  and generating a measured frame temperature signal  102 ;   a comparator  108 , the comparator  108  determining a difference between the measured frame temperature signal  102  and a desired temperature signal  106 , and generating a temperature difference signal  110 ; and   a temperature controller  112 , the temperature controller  112  being responsive to the temperature difference signal  110  and generating a TEC control signal  114 ;   wherein the TEC element  32  is responsive to the TEC control signal  114 .   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the frame  20  has a thermal device  22 , further comprising:
 a thermal device controller  116 , the thermal device controller  116  operably connected to control the thermal device  22 , and generating a thermal device signal  118 ;   wherein the temperature controller  112  is additionally responsive to the thermal device signal  118 .   
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  has a valve  72  connected to control flow through the flushable reservoir  70 , the valve  72  being selected from the group consisting of a stop valve and a flow control valve. 
   
   
       24 . A method of temperature control for a frame comprising:
 providing a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element and a fluid heat transfer element thermally connected to the TEC element;   locating the TEC element near the frame to form a gap; and   controlling the TEC element to transfer heat across the gap.   
   
   
       25 . A temperature control system for a frame  20  comprising:
 a thermal electric cooling (TEC) element  32 , the TEC element  32  having a first face  34  and a second face  36 ;   a phase change element  76 ; and   a fluid heat transfer element  38 ;   wherein the first face  34  is thermally connected to the frame  20  and the second face  36  is thermally connected to the phase change element  76 , and the phase change element  76  is thermally connected to the fluid heat transfer element  38 .   
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  further comprising:
 a temperature sensor  68 , the temperature sensor  68  being thermally connected to the frame  20  and generating a measured frame temperature signal  102 ;   a comparator  108 , the comparator  108  determining a difference between the measured frame temperature signal  102  and a desired temperature signal  106 , and generating a temperature difference signal  110 ; and   a temperature controller  112 , the temperature controller  112  being responsive to the temperature difference signal  110  and generating a TEC control signal  114 ;   wherein the TEC element  32  is responsive to the TEC control signal  114 .   
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the frame  20  has a thermal device  22 , further comprising:
 a thermal device controller  116 , the thermal device controller  116  operably connected to control the thermal device  22 , and generating a thermal device signal  118 ;   wherein the temperature controller  112  is additionally responsive to the thermal device signal  118 .   
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the fluid heat transfer element  38  has a valve  72  connected to control flow through the flushable reservoir  70 , the valve  72  being selected from the group consisting of a stop valve and a flow control valve. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the phase change element  76  comprises a phase change material selected from the group consisting of water, salt hydrate, potassium fluoride tetrahydrate, calcium chloride hexahydrate, a eutectic mixture, a salt-water mixture, and a sodium chloride-water mixture.