Thermal insulator for construction using thermoelectric module

Abstract

The present invention provides a thermal insulator for construction including: a thermoelectric module inserted in a wall or floor of a building and including a plurality of thermoelectric elements; a power supply module for supplying power to the thermoelectric module; and a power control module for controlling size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module from the power supply module. This thermal insulator for construction can provide much better thermal insulation performance in comparison with a conventional thermal insulator, and it is possible to reduce thickness of the wall or floor in comparison with when using the conventional thermal insulator since the thermoelectric element has very small size. Further, it is possible to implement a cooling or heating effect only by changing polarity and size of applied current.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0036450 filed with the Korea Intellectual Property Office on Apr. 20, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to thermal insulation of a building, and more particularly, to a technology for improving performance of a thermal insulator for construction by using a thermoelectric module.

2. Description of the Related Art

Thermal insulation of buildings for energy saving has been popular due to a global energy crisis and so on in the early 1970s, and building regulations have attempted to improve thermal performance of buildings by regulating separate thermal insulation standards.

Thermal insulation is defined as reducing a heat flow by increasing heat resistance of an object in which heat flows. Architecturally speaking, this means reduction of a coefficient of heat transmission of a structure (especially, wall). In order to reduce the coefficient of heat transmission, it is required to reduce thickness of a material or to use a low thermal conductivity material. However, since there is a limit to reduce the thickness of the material in order to reduce the coefficient of heat transmission due to design limitations and cost increase, it is generally more effective to use the low thermal conductivity material. A thermal insulator is a low thermal conductivity material and generally includes materials with a thermal conductivity of less than 0.05 kcal/mh°C.

Generally, the thermal insulator is a plate material such as insulated concrete, fiber board, and excelsior board, a granular material such as granular cork, vermiculite, glass fiber, rock wool, and slag wool, aluminum foil, heat absorbing glass, heat reflecting glass, pair glass, and so on. Further, styrofoam, gypsum board, and rock wool are largely used as a thermal insulation material for buildings, and wool also can be used as a thermal insulator.

These conventional thermal insulators can block a heat flow between the inside and outside of a building to some extent. However, since these thermal insulators passively block heat but can't flow heat in a specific direction, there is a limit to obtain sufficient thermal insulation performance even though they are applied to the building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-described problems, and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a thermal insulator for construction capable of improving thermal insulation performance by using a thermoelectric element as a thermal insulator and performing cooling and heating of a building.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention to achieve the object, there is provided a thermal insulator for construction including: a thermoelectric module inserted in a wall or floor of a building and including a plurality of thermoelectric elements; a power supply module for supplying power to the thermoelectric module; and a power control module for controlling size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module from the power supply module.

At this time, the thermoelectric module may be attached to an outer surface of the wall or floor, attached to an inner surface of the wall or floor, or inserted in the wall or floor.

Meanwhile, the thermal insulator for construction may further include a temperature sensing module for sensing temperatures outside and inside the building.

At this time, the power control module may control the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module so that heat flows in a direction from the outer surface to the inner surface of the wall or floor, in case that the temperature outside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module is lower than the temperature inside the building.

Further, the power control module may control the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module so that heat flows in a direction from the inner surface to the outer surface of the wall or floor, in case that the temperature outside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module is higher than the temperature inside the building.

And the power control module may control the size of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module in proportion to a difference between the temperatures outside and inside of the building sensed by the temperature sensing module.

Meanwhile, the thermal insulator for construction may further include an input module which is connected to the power control module and receives control values for the size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a thermal insulation effect using a thermoelectric module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3a to 3c are views illustrating forms in which a thermoelectric module 202 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is inserted in a wall or floor;

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a control method in case that a temperature outside a building to which the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is attached is lower than a temperature inside the building; and

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a control method in case that the temperature outside the building to which the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is attached is higher than the temperature inside the building.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein.

In describing the present invention, the detailed description of known functions and configurations will be omitted so as not to obscure the subject of the present invention with unnecessary detail. And the terms described below, terms defined considering their functions in the present invention, can be different depending on a user or operator's intention or a practice. Thus, the definition should be made on the basis of the contents throughout this specification.

The spirit of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims, and the following embodiments will be provided to allow those skilled in the art to efficiently understand the spirit of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a thermal insulation effect using a thermoelectric module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

A thermoelectric element includes a pair of an N type semiconductor device and a P type semiconductor device as a basic unit, and the thermoelectric module consists of a plurality of thermoelectric elements.

As shown, when a DC voltage is applied to the thermoelectric element, heat flows from a lower end to an upper end of the drawing according to an electron flow in the N type semiconductor device and according to a hole flow in the P type semiconductor device. Accordingly, a temperature of a lower heat absorbing portion falls, and a temperature of an upper heat radiating portion rises. The reason why an exothermic reaction and an endothermic reaction occur in the thermoelectric element is that metal in a low potential energy state loses thermal energy and metal in a high potential energy state emits thermal energy according to movement of electrons since it is required to obtain energy from the outside to move the electrons from the former to the latter according to a potential energy difference between the electrons in the metal. This is called a Peltier effect. The endothermic or exothermic reaction in the thermoelectric element is proportional to the amount of current flowing to the thermoelectric element. Further, the endothermic and exothermic reactions occur inversely when polarity of power is changed.

The present invention implements a thermal insulator for a building by using this thermal diode function of the thermoelectric element, that is, a property that heat flows only in one direction according to a direction of supplied current.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a thermoelectric module 202, a power supply module 204, and a power control module 206 and may further include a temperature sensing module 208 or an input module 210 in case of need.

The thermoelectric module 202, as described above, consists of a plurality of thermoelectric elements and is inserted in a wall or floor of a building. At this time, there is no limitation on the kind of the building, and a general residential house, a business building, a prefabricated temporary building, and so on are all included. That is, the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to any kind of a building in which a thermal insulator is inserted in a wall or floor.

Each of the thermoelectric elements included in the thermoelectric module 202 flows heat only in a direction from the outside (outdoor) to the inside (indoor) of the wall or floor or only in a direction from the inside to the outside of the wall or floor so as to maintain warmth inside the building at a predetermined level. That is, as described above, the present invention performs thermal insulation of the building by using the thermal diode characteristic of the thermoelectric element.

The power supply module 204 is a unit which supplies power to the thermoelectric module 202. The power supply module 204 may be configured to convert AC power supplied to the building into predetermined size of DC power and supply the DC power to the thermoelectric module 202. Further, in case that a solar panel is provided in the building, the power supply module 204 may convert power supplied from the solar panel and supply the converted power to the thermoelectric module 202. Like this, in case that the power supply module 204 supplies power to the thermoelectric module 202 by using solar light, it is possible to minimize additional costs while obtaining a much better thermal insulation effect than when using an existing thermal insulator since there is no need to use a separate home power supply for thermal insulation.

The power control module 206 controls size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 from the power supply module 204. That is, the power supply module 204 varies the size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 according to control of the power control module 206.

Meanwhile, as described above, the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may further include the temperature sensing module 208. The temperature sensing module 208 senses temperatures outside and inside the building in which the thermoelectric module 202 is provided and transmits the sensed temperatures to the power control module 206. It is required to vary the amount and direction (polarity) of current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 according to a difference between the temperature inside and outside the building in order to perform a thermal insulation function required for the thermoelectric module 202. Accordingly, the power control module 206 receives information on the temperatures outside and inside the building from the temperature sensing module 208 and changes the amount and polarity of current outputted from the power supply module 204 accordingly.

Further, the thermal insulator 200 for construction may further include the input module 210. The input module 210 is connected to the power control module 206 and may include an input means (button or dial) for user input. A user can input control values for the size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 through the input module 210, and the input module 210 transmits the control values to the power supply module 206 so that the power control module 206 can change the size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 on the basis of the control values.

FIGS. 3a to 3c are views illustrating forms in which the thermoelectric module 202 is inserted in the wall or floor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3a shows a form in which the thermoelectric module 202 is attached to an inner surface of the wall or floor 300, that is, a surface in contact with the inside of the building, as a thermal insulator. This is called internal thermal insulation. Further, FIG. 3b shows a form in which the thermoelectric module 202 is inserted in the wall or floor 300, as a thermal insulator. This is called intermediate thermal insulation. FIG. 3c shows a form in which the thermoelectric module 202 is attached to an outer surface of the wall or floor 300, that is, a surface in contact with the outside of the building, as a thermal insulator. This is called external thermal insulation.

Theoretically, thermal insulation performance may be the same regardless of a position of the thermoelectric module 202 under a normal heat flow when the temperatures inside and outside the building are maintained in a constant state. However, since a thermal insulation effect shows differently according to the attached position of the thermoelectric module 202 due to a heat storage performance and so on of the building structure in a real situation where the temperatures inside and outside the building frequently vary, it is possible to select one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a to 3c by considering this fact when actually applying the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention to the building.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a control method in case that the temperature outside the building to which the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is attached is lower than the temperature inside the building.

For example, in case that the temperature (0 degree) outside the building is lower than the temperature (18 degrees) inside the building, such as winter, with the thermoelectric module 202 therebetween, the power control module 206 controls the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 so that thermal energy flows in a direction from the outer surface to the inner surface of the wall or floor (that is, heat flows from the outside to the inside of the thermoelectric module 202). Accordingly, since heat flows only in a direction from the outside to the inside of the building, it is possible to prevent inside warm air from leaking outside through the wall or floor.

Further, the power control module 206 can increase the amount of the current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 in proportion to the difference between the temperatures outside and inside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module 208. That is, since the amount of thermal energy leaking outside increases according to an increase in the difference between the temperatures inside and outside the building, it is possible to offset a heat flow by increasing the amount of the current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 in proportion to this. Further, by applying this, in case of the same temperature difference, the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can perform a heating function as well as a thermal insulation function by increasing the amount of the current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 to actively induce the heat flow from the outside to the inside of the building.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a control method in case that the temperature outside the building to which the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is attached is higher than the temperature inside the building.

For example, in case that the temperature (30 degrees) outside the building is higher than the temperature (20 degrees) inside the building, such as summer, with the thermoelectric module 202 therebetween, the power control module 206 controls the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 so that thermal energy flows in a direction from the inner surface to the outer surface of the wall or floor (that is, heat flows from the inside to the outside of the thermoelectric module 202). Accordingly, since heat flows only in a direction from the inside to the outside of the building, it is possible to block outside hot air from flowing into the inside of the building through the wall or floor.

Further, as described in FIG. 4, the power control module 206 can increase the amount of the current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 in proportion to the difference between the temperatures outside and inside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module 208. That is, since the amount of thermal energy introduced in the inside of the building increases according to the increase in the difference between the temperatures outside and inside the building, it is possible to offset the heat flow by increasing the amount of the current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 in proportion to this. Further, by applying this, in case of the same temperature difference, the thermal insulator 200 for construction in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can perform a cooling function as well as the thermal insulation function by increasing the amount of the current supplied to the thermoelectric module 202 to actively induce the heat flow from the inside to the outside of the building.

In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to provide much better thermal insulation performance by implementing the thermal insulator for construction using the thermoelectric element.

Further, since the thermoelectric element has very small size, it is possible to reduce thickness of the wall or floor in comparison with when using a conventional thermal insulator, and it is possible to implement a cooling or heating effect as well as thermal insulation only by changing polarity and size of applied current.

By using this thermal insulation, cooling, and heating methods using the thermoelectric element, it is possible to achieve noise reduction and life extension since additional mechanical elements are not necessary, and it is possible to implement environmentally friendly thermal insulation, cooling, and heating since there is no discharge of additional pollutants.

Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments but should be determined by the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A thermal insulator for construction comprising:

a thermoelectric module inserted in a wall or floor of a building and including a plurality of thermoelectric elements;

a power supply module for supplying power to the thermoelectric module; and

a power control module for controlling size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module from the power supply module.

2. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric module is attached to an outer surface of the wall or floor.

3. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric module is attached to an inner surface of the wall or floor.

4. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric module is inserted in the wall or floor.

5. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensing module for sensing temperatures outside and inside the building.

6. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 5, wherein the power control module controls the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module so that heat flows in a direction from the outer surface to the inner surface of the wall or floor, in case that the temperature outside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module is lower than the temperature inside the building.

7. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 5, wherein the power control module controls the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module so that heat flows in a direction from the inner surface to the outer surface of the wall or floor, in case that the temperature outside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module is higher than the temperature inside the building.

8. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 5, wherein the power control module controls the size of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module in proportion to a difference between the temperatures outside and inside the building sensed by the temperature sensing module.

9. The thermal insulator for construction according to claim 1, further comprising an input module connected to the power control module and receiving control values for the size and polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric module.