Active Heat Transfer Control by Non-Equilibrium Thermoelectric Device

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A rapid cooling system using an active heat transfer control by Peltier elements is proposed. One of the Peltier elements is used as a thermally non-equilibrium thermoelectric device, The system can maintain a temperature control medium at constant temperature and rapid cooling can be achieved by changing the direction of electric current in the device. Heat flux comparable to that by boiling heat transfer of R113 can be attained. The water at 20ﾟC is cooled down to 0ﾟC within 4 seconds by an experiment.Microgravity environments generated by parabolic flights for 20s were used in order to suppress the double diffusive convection. In-situ measurement of the diffusion field was carried out using a real-time phase-shift interferometer. The saturated solution around a seed crystal of NaClO_3 was subjected to rapid cooling for the duration of microgravity by Peltier elements in the test cell using the active heat transfer control system. The test cell was subjected to a number of temperature profiles during microgravity experiments. In particular, .the measured diffusion phenomena subjected to rapid cooling cannot be explained by a conventional diffusion process nor kinetics of crystal growth.A new concept of a thermoelectric actuator is proposed. The thermoelectric actuator is comprised of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) and Peltier elements. When SMA is applied to an actuator heating and cooling is problem for rapid response of the movement, and electric power and current to heat the SMA tend to large. Peltier element is convenient to cool and heat electrical devices, However it is inferior to a heat pump for continuous cooling. By combining the SMA and Peltier elements, a new thermoelectric actuator can be constructed. This actuator has a potential of rapid movement with small energy consumption.