Integration of thermosiphon tubing into accept heat exchanger

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a thermoelectric cooling system comprising a sealed condensing and evaporating system for the purpose of accepting heat into a heat pumping system. In some embodiments, the sealed condensing and evaporating system includes a heat sink and one or more thermosiphons. Each thermosiphon includes a first portion integrated with the heat sink and a second portion configured to thermally couple to a cold side heat exchange element of a heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
 a sealed condensing and evaporating accept subsystem, comprising:
 a heat sink; and 
 one or more thermosiphons, each thermosiphon comprising:
 a first portion integrated with the heat sink, and 
 a second portion configured to thermally couple to a cold side heat exchange element of a heat exchanger. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is structurally distinct from the first portion of each of the one or more thermosiphons. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an external surface of the first portion of each of the one or more thermosiphons is in direct thermal contact with a surface of the heat sink. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermosiphons and the heat sink are a continuous structure. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises:
 a separate and distinct cavity for each of the one or more thermosiphons;   wherein, for each thermosiphon of the one or more thermosiphons, the first portion of the thermosiphon is positioned within the separate and distinct cavity for that thermosiphon.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each separate and distinct cavity forms a surface area of the heat sink that equals a surface area of the first portion of the thermosiphon positioned within the separate and distinct cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each separate and distinct cavity is a groove on a surface of the heat sink. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein each groove extends continuously along a length of the heat sink. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each separate and distinct cavity is a channel in an interior of the heat sink. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein, for each thermosiphon of the one or more thermosiphons, the first portion of the thermosiphon structurally complements the separate and distinct cavity in which the first portion of the thermosiphon is positioned. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more thermosiphons is a pipe. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the one or more pipes has a length that comprises a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermosiphons are formed of a first type of thermally conductive material and the heat sink is formed of a second type of thermally conductive material, the first type of thermally conductive material being different than the second type of thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermosiphons and the heat sink are formed of a same thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more forced convection units configured to direct airflow towards the heat sink. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more forced convection units comprise one or more fans. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more forced convection units are affixed to the heat sink. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of fin structures. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a sealed condensing and evaporating reject subsystem, comprising:
 an extended surface area fin assembly or heat sinks; and 
 one or more thermosiphons or heat-pipes, each comprising:
 a first portion integrated with the fin assembly or the heat sinks; and 
 a second portion configured to thermally couple to a hot side heat exchange element of the heat exchanger. 
 
 
 
     
     
         20 . A thermoelectric cooling system, comprising:
 a heat exchanger comprising a cold side heat exchange element, a hot side heat exchange element, and a thermoelectric cooler disposed between the cold side heat exchange element and the hot side heat exchange element;   a cooling chamber insulated from the heat exchanger;   a heat sink disposed below the heat exchanger; and   one or more thermosiphons shaped so as to continuously slope downward from the heat exchanger to the heat sink, each thermosiphon comprising:
 a first portion integrated with the heat sink, and 
 a second portion thermally coupled to the cold side heat exchange element of the heat exchanger.