A refrigerator may include an inner casing having a storage chamber defined therein; and a thermoelectric module including a thermoelectric element for cooling the storage chamber, a cooling sink in contact with one surface of thermoelectric element, and a heat sink contacting the other surface of thermoelectric element, wherein the heat sink includes: a heat dissipation fin including a stack of a plurality of fins; a heat dissipation plate coupled to the heat dissipation fin; a heat dissipation pipe for connecting the heat dissipation plate to the heat dissipation fin, wherein the heat dissipation pipe is arranged to pass through the heat dissipation fin.

Disclosed is a vacuum insulator comprising: a heat diffusion block placed in a third space; a thermoelectric module coming into contact with the heat diffusion block so as to exchange heat therewith, and placed in the third space; and a heat sink exchanging heat with the thermoelectric module and placed in a first space or a second place. According to the present invention, high heat-insulation performance and heat-transfer performance can be obtained.

Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage. Carbonating gas can be provided to a tank via the tank outlet, thereby purging at least a portion of a dispense line leading from the tank to a dispensing station. A single pump may be used to deliver liquid to the tank, e.g., for carbonation, and to pump pressurized air to dispense liquid from the tank. A water trap may help remove moisture from carbonating gas.

A heat exchange module alone or part of a system including a control console. The HEM can include a channel enclosure assembly, a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) assembly and a heat transfer (cover) assembly. The enclosure assembly includes a channel for a heat-transfer liquid. The module can be constructed to provide for flexibility to better conform and fit on rounded and/or angular body parts and to efficiently transfer heat between the adjacent body part and the heat-transfer liquid via the TECs of the TEC assembly.

An active cooling system and method for using the active cooling system are described. The active cooling system includes a cooling element having a first side and a second side. The first side of the cooling element is distal to a heat-generating structure and in communication with a fluid. The second side of the cooling element is proximal to the heat-generating structure. The cooling element is configured to direct the fluid using a vibrational motion from the first side of the cooling element to the second side such that the fluid moves in a direction that is incident on a surface of the heat-generating structure at a substantially perpendicular angle and then is deflected to move along the surface of the heat-generating structure to extract heat from the heat-generating structure.

A thermoelectric heat pump air conditioner comprising an indoor air conditioner and an outdoor air conditioner. The indoor air conditioner comprises a first phase-change suppressing heat transfer plate, a thermoelectric cooling assembly and a heat exchanger. A first cooling medium pipe and a first thermally superconducting pipe are formed in the first phase-change suppressing heat transfer plate. The first thermal superconducting pipe is filled with a first heat transfer working medium. The heat exchanger is attached on a surface, away from the phase-change suppressing heat transfer plate, of the thermoelectric cooling assembly. A second cooling medium pipe is formed in the heat exchanger. The outdoor air conditioner comprises a second phase-change suppressing heat transfer plate. A third cooling medium pipe and a second thermally superconducting pipe are formed in the second phase-change suppressing heat transfer plate. The second thermally superconducting pipe is filled with a second heat transfer working medium.

An apparatus for cooling bottled beverages may include an open-topped vessel defining a bottle chamber. The vessel may have a tubular wall and a base. The apparatus may further include a cooling device in thermal communication with the base of the vessel and with a heat exchanger. The apparatus may also include a tubular housing surrounding the vessel and enclosing the cooling device and the heat exchanger. Additionally, the apparatus may include a fan configured to provide an air flow along an airflow path. The airflow path may extend from an inlet of the housing, across the heat exchanger, to an outlet of the housing.

Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage. Carbonating gas can be provided to a tank via the tank outlet, thereby purging at least a portion of a dispense line leading from the tank to a dispensing station. A single pump may be used to deliver liquid to the tank, e.g., for carbonation, and to pump pressurized air to dispense liquid from the tank. A water trap may help remove moisture from carbonating gas.

In an example, a print device comprises: a heat pump (102) to extract heat from a fluid source to produce cooled fluid and to transfer the heat from the fluid source to heat a print material (108), wherein the cooled fluid is used to cool a component (106) of the print device.

Provided is a heat conversion device, including: a housing; a thermoelectric module received in the housing and including a thermoelectric semiconductor between substrates disposed to face each other; a first temperature conversion portion and a second temperature conversion portion disposed between the substrates, respectively; and a heat reduction portion adopted to guide a part of a fluid flowing in the housing and passing through the first temperature conversion portion to the second temperature conversion portion.