Air conditiioning device having at least one heat pipe, in particular thermosiphon

Abstract

The invention relates to an air conditioning device having at least one heat pipe ( 100 ), in particular a thermosiphon, having at least one electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) under at least temporary influence of an electrical and/or magnet field, and having a heat transfer oriented from one first end to another second end of the heat pipe. A plurality of these heat pipes, having electro- or magnetocaloric materials integrated or arranged therein, are preferably contained, connected in series in a cascade-like manner and optionally connected to one another via heat exchangers or switchable heat flow regulators.

1 . An air conditioning device comprising at least one heat pipe ( 100 ) which contains at least one working medium, at least one electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) is integrated in the heat pipe ( 100 ), and under at least temporary influence of at least one of an electrical or magnetic field, and a heat transport (Q) oriented from a first heat transfer region between the at least one of the electrocaloric or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) and the working medium ( 2 ) to a second heat transfer region of the working medium ( 2 ). 
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe ( 100 ) contains a plurality of heat transfer regions between a plurality of the at least one of electro- or magnetocaloric material elements ( 4 ) and the at least one working medium ( 2 ). 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the first heat transfer region comprises at least one first one of the electro- or magnetocaloric material elements ( 4 ) in a region of a first end of the heat pipe ( 100 ), and the second heat transfer region comprises at least one condenser in a region of a second end of the heat pipe ( 100 ). 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the condenser comprises an electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ) or is connected to or formed from such an element. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one first heat exchanger ( 7 ) in thermally conductive connection with the first electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ), and a second heat exchanger ( 8 ) in thermally conductive connection with at least one of the condenser or a second electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ) at a second end of the heat pipe ( 100 ). 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a controllable thermal connection ( 15 ) between the first and second heat transfer regions. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the controllable thermal connection ( 15 ) is a pressure- or thermo-valve ( 15 ) between the first and second heat transfer regions. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a field generator ( 6 ) of at least one of an electrical or magnetic field. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a relative mobility is provided between the heat pipe ( 100 ) and the field generator ( 6 ) of the at least one of the electrical or magnetic field. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a condenser ( 8 ) provided in combination with an electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) and an evaporator, containing or including electro- or magnetocaloric material, at least the evaporator being temporarily in the at least one of the electrical or magnetic field of the field generator ( 6 ). 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a first said electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ) in the first heat transfer region, and a second said electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ) in the second heat transfer region, wherein the two electro- or magnetocaloric material elements ( 4 ) lie alternately in at least one of electrical or magnetic field of a field generator ( 6 ). 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ) has an enlarged contact surface to an adjacent working fluid ( 2 ). 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe ( 100 ) is connected in thermal coupling to at least one Peltier element. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe ( 100 ) comprises a plurality of heat pipes that are connected in series, in a substantially vertical arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe ( 100 ) is configured as a switched thermal diode (heat flow in one direction only). 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an oriented heat flow takes place from a first end to a second end of the heat pipe as a result of a rotation-induced centrifugal force. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least part of a housing or a wick of the heat pipe ( 100 ) is formed of electro- or magnetocaloric material. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a structured evaporator of electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) with integrated heat conductor ( 10 ). 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a structured evaporator of electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) connected thermally conductively to an integrated heat conductor ( 10 ). 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a structured closure of the heat pipe made of electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) with a plurality of heat conductors ( 10 ) inside the structured closure in thermally conductive contact with a heat transfer element ( 7 ). 
     
     
         21 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe ( 100 ) includes a plurality of electrical isolator elements ( 4   b ) inside the magnetocaloric material ( 4 ). 
     
     
         22 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one thermal connecting element ( 15 ;  20 ) between two successive ones of the heat pipes ( 100 ). 
     
     
         23 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein in the heat pipe ( 100 ), a plurality of working regions ( 20 / 1  to  20 / 3 ) are provided each delimited by an electro- or magnetocaloric material element ( 4 ), and a working fluid is contained in each of the working regions. 
     
     
         24 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising a controllable thermal connection ( 15 ) in at least one working region ( 20 / 1  to  20 / 3 ) of the heat pipe ( 100 ). 
     
     
         25 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an at least partial arrangement of electro- or magnetocaloric material with negative electro- or magnetocaloric effect or inverse caloric effect. 
     
     
         26 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising a combination of electro- or magnetocaloric material with non-inverse and inverse electro- or magnetocaloric effect inside the heat pipe, and a stationary arrangement of a switchable field generator ( 6 ) and the heat pipe ( 100 ) relative to each other. 
     
     
         27 . The air conditioning device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a Curie temperature of the electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) is adapted to a respective local temperature or working region of the heat pipe ( 100 ) in which the electro- or magnetocaloric material ( 4 ) is arranged.