Importance

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Abstract

There is disclosed a watercraft having a refrigerator powered by a thermo-electric element in which the hot face of the thermo-electric element is in direct contact with the water or air or in direct contact with the external wall of the watercraft or is in heat-transfer contact therewith through an external thermal sink having a face exposed to the ambient medium or in heat transfer therewith through the exterior wall. The external thermal sink can be a channel-shaped member, a solid block of heat-conducting metal, a heat pipe, or any energy-transfer device. The external thermal sink can be located entirely below the waterline or entirely above the waterline or adjacent to the waterline so that, in the first case, cooling is effected by heat transfer into the ambient water, in the second case by heat transfer into the ambient atmosphere and, in the third case, by the combined effects of these two, plus transfer of latent heat of vaporization of water resulting from water lapped or splashed on the external thermal sink.

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First Claim