Compact temperature control unit and associated components, assembly, and methods

Abstract

A temperature control unit may include one or more thermoelectric cooling elements coupled to a conditioned space heat exchanger and an unconditioned space heat exchanger. The unit may further include one or more conditioned air fans configured to move air from a conditioned space over the conditioned space heat exchanger. The unit may also include one or more unconditioned air fans configured to move air from an unconditioned space over the unconditioned space heat exchanger. The unit may further include a power supply configured to change a polarity and level of power to the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature control unit comprising:
 one or more thermoelectric cooling elements coupled to a conditioned space heat exchanger and an unconditioned space heat exchanger;   one or more conditioned air fans configured to move air from a conditioned space vertically displaced from the conditioned space heat exchanger;   one or more unconditioned air fans configured to move air from an unconditioned space over the unconditioned space heat exchanger; and   a power supply configured to change a polarity of power to the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature control unit of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is configured to change a level of the power to the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature control unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shelf configured to contact a window and support a conditioned space side of the temperature control unit; and   a support foot extending from a bottom of the temperature control unit on an unconditioned space side of the temperature control unit to support the unconditioned space side of the temperature control unit.   
     
     
         4 . The temperature control unit of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioned space heat exchanger is directly coupled to a first surface of the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements and the unconditioned space heat exchanger is directly coupled to a second surface of the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements opposite the first surface. 
     
     
         5 . The temperature control unit of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioned space heat exchanger is operatively coupled to a first surface of the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements through a first working medium and the unconditioned space heat exchanger is operatively coupled to a second surface of the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements opposite the first surface through a second working medium. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature control unit of  claim 5 , wherein the first working medium and the second working medium are a same type of medium. 
     
     
         7 . The temperature control unit of  claim 5 , wherein the first working medium and the second working medium comprise heat pipes. 
     
     
         8 . The temperature control unit of  claim 5 , wherein the first working medium and the second working medium comprise a liquid. 
     
     
         9 . A temperature control unit comprising:
 one or more thermoelectric cooling elements operatively coupled to a conditioned space heat exchanger through a first working fluid;   the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements operatively coupled to an unconditioned space heat exchanger through a second working fluid;   one or more conditioned air fans configured to move air from a conditioned space over the conditioned space heat exchanger;   one or more unconditioned air fans configured to move air from an unconditioned space over the unconditioned space heat exchanger; and   a power supply configured to change a polarity and a level of power to the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements.   
     
     
         10 . The temperature control unit of  claim 9 , further comprising a body housing the one or more thermoelectric cooling elements, wherein the conditioned space heat exchanger is coupled to the body on a first lateral end of the body and the unconditioned space heat exchanger is coupled to the body on a second lateral end of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The temperature control unit of  claim 10 , wherein the conditioned space heat exchanger extends away from the body and the unconditioned space heat exchanger extends away from the body. 
     
     
         12 . The temperature control unit of  claim 10 , wherein the body is configured to pass through a barrier between the conditioned space and the unconditioned space and the body has a vertical cross sectional area less than a vertical cross sectional area of the conditioned space heat exchanger and the unconditioned space heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The temperature control unit of  claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured to communicate wirelessly with another controller of another temperature control unit. 
     
     
         14 . A temperature control unit comprising:
 a thermoelectric cooling element operatively coupled to a conditioned space heat exchanger through a first heat pipe;   the thermoelectric cooling element operatively coupled to an unconditioned space heat exchanger through a second heat pipe;   one or more conditioned air fans configured to move air from a conditioned space over the conditioned space heat exchanger;   one or more unconditioned air fans configured to move air from an unconditioned space over the unconditioned space heat exchanger; and   a power supply configured to change a level of power to the thermoelectric cooling element.   
     
     
         15 . The temperature control unit of  claim 14 , wherein the first heat pipe comprises an evaporative section, a transfer section, and a condenser section. 
     
     
         16 . The temperature control unit of  claim 15 , wherein the power supply is configured to change a polarity of the power to the thermoelectric cooling element and the first heat pipe is configured to reverse a heat flow direction when the polarity of the power to the thermoelectric cooling element is changed. 
     
     
         17 . The temperature control unit of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a conditioned side including the conditioned space heat exchanger and the one or more conditioned air fans;   an unconditioned side including the unconditioned space heat exchanger and the one or more unconditioned air fans; and   a bridge section positioned between the conditioned side and the unconditioned side.   
     
     
         18 . The temperature control unit of  claim 17 , wherein the bridge section has a vertical cross section less than a vertical cross section of the conditioned side and the unconditioned side. 
     
     
         19 . The temperature control unit of  claim 17 , wherein the conditioned side, the unconditioned side, and the bridge section define a channel between the conditioned side and the unconditioned side. 
     
     
         20 . The temperature control unit of  claim 14 , wherein the first heat pipe includes a working fluid selected from a group consisting of water, methanol, ammonia, ethanol, acetone, fluorocarbons, and mixtures of water and ethyl alcohol.