ELECTROCALORIC SYSTEM WITH ACTIVE REGENERATION

• US 20150362225A1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Schwartz, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,429,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/00 Machines, plants or systems, using electric or magnetic effects
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/001 by using electro-caloric effects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

An electrocaloric with active regeneration includes first and second electrocaloric capacitors proximate one another enabling heat transfer there between. In the system, complementary first and second electric fields are applied to their respective electrocaloric capacitors such that when the electric fields are applied the temperature of the first electrocaloric capacitor increases while the temperature of the second electrocaloric capacitor decreases or vice-versa. Shifting of one or both of the electrocaloric capacitors relative to one another assists in heat transfer between the two and may additionally transfer heat from an object to be cooled, which is connected to the first electrocaloric capacitor, to a heat sink, which is connected to a second electrocaloric capacitor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first electrocaloric capacitor; and

a second electrocaloric capacitor proximate the first electrocaloric capacitor wherein the proximity enables heat transfer between the first and second electrocaloric capacitors,

wherein a first electric field is applied to the first electrocaloric capacitor and a second electric field is applied to the second electrocaloric capacitor, and

wherein the first and second electric fields are complementary such that when the first and second electric fields are applied to their respective electrocaloric capacitors the temperature of the first electrocaloric capacitor rises in accordance with a rising first electric field and the temperature of the second electrocaloric capacitor decreases in accordance with a decreasing second electric field or the temperature of the first electrocaloric capacitor decreases in accordance with a decreasing first electric field and the temperature of the second electrocaloric capacitor increases in accordance with a rising second electric field.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first and second electrocaloric capacitors are shifted intermittently or continuously relative to one another in correspondence with the raising and lowering of the first and second electric fields.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first or second electrocaloric capacitors is coupled to a heat source and the other of the first or second electrocaloric capacitors is coupled to a heat sink.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lubricant intermediate the first electrocaloric capacitor and the second electrocaloric capacitor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second electrocaloric capacitors comprise a plurality of electrocaloric materials.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of electrocaloric materials are in a series configuration and/or a layer configuration.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first and second electrocaloric capacitors stacked in an alternating pair configuration of first electrocaloric capacitor and a second electrocaloric capacitor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein one or both of like electrocaloric capacitors in the alternating pair configuration are substantially synchronously shifted.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the shifting is caused by an actuator.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the shifting comprises linear or rotational motion.

9. The system 8, wherein the substantially synchronous shifting occurs intermittently or continuously in correspondence with the raising and lowering of the first and second electric fields.

12. A system comprising:

a first electrocaloric capacitor; and

a second electrocaloric capacitor proximate the first electrocaloric capacitor wherein the proximity enables heat transfer between the first and second electrocaloric capacitors,

wherein a first electric field is applied to the first electrocaloric capacitor and a second electric field is applied to the second electrocaloric capacitor, and

wherein the first and second electric fields are complementary such that when the first and second electric fields are applied to their respective electrocaloric capacitors the temperature of the first electrocaloric capacitor rises in accordance with a rising first electric field and the temperature of the second electrocaloric capacitor decreases in accordance with a decreasing second electric field or the temperature of the first electrocaloric capacitor decreases in accordance with a decreasing first electric field and the temperature of the second electrocaloric capacitor increases in accordance with a rising second electric field, and

wherein one or both of the first and second electrocaloric capacitors are shifted relative to one another in correspondence with the raising and lowering of the first and second electric fields.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the shifting of the first and second electrocaloric capacitors occurs intermittently or continuously.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein one of the first or second electrocaloric capacitors is coupled to a heat source and the other of the first or second electrocaloric capacitors is coupled to a heat sink.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a lubricant intermediate the first electrocaloric capacitor and the second electrocaloric capacitor.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and/or second electrocaloric capacitors comprise a plurality of electrocaloric materials.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of electrocaloric materials are in a series configuration and/or a layer configuration.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of first and second electrocaloric capacitors stacked in an alternating pair configuration of first electrocaloric capacitor and a second electrocaloric capacitor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein one or both of like electrocaloric capacitors in the alternating pair configuration are substantially synchronously shifted.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the shifting comprises linear motion or rotational motion.

21. A method of cooling comprising:

moving a second electrocaloric capacitor a first direction relative to a first electrocaloric capacitor;

increasing an electric field on the first electrocaloric capacitor while lowering an electric field on the second electrocaloric capacitor whereby heat is transferred from the first electrocaloric capacitor to the second electrocaloric capacitor;

moving the second electrocaloric capacitor in a direction opposite the first direction relative to the first electrocaloric capacitor; and

increasing an electric field on the second electrocaloric capacitor while lowering an electric field on the first electrocaloric capacitor whereby heat is transferred from the second electrocaloric capacitor to the first electrocaloric capacitor.

22. A system comprising:

a first pyroelectric capacitor; and

a second pyrelectric capacitor proximate the first pyroelectric capacitor wherein the proximity enables heat transfer between the first and second pyroelectric capacitors,

wherein a first voltage is applied to the first pyroelectric capacitor and a second voltage is apply to the second pyroelectric capacitor, and

wherein the first and second voltages are complementary such that when the first and second voltages are applied to their respective pyroelectric capacitors the temperature of the first pyroelectric capacitor increases in accordance with a decreasing first voltage and the temperature of the second pyroelectric capacitor decreases in accordance with an increasing second voltage or the temperature of the first pyroelectric capacitor decreases in accordance with an increasing first voltage and the temperature of the second pyroelectric capacitor increases in accordance with a decreasing second voltage.