公开(公告)号：US09780278B2

公开(公告)日：2017-10-03

申请号：US14572903

申请日：2014-12-17

申请人： The Neothermal Energy Company

发明人： Ahmet Erbil ,  David F. Walbert

IPC分类号： H01L35/30 ,  H01L35/32 ,  H01L37/02 ,  F28B1/00 ,  F28D7/16

CPC分类号： H01L35/30 ,  F28B1/00 ,  F28D7/16 ,  F28D7/1607 ,  H01L35/325 ,  H01L37/02

摘要： A method for converting heat to electric energy is described which involves thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes. The material is heated by extracting thermal energy from a gas to condense the gas into a liquid and transferring the thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material. An apparatus is also described which includes an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes and a heat exchanger for heating the material in thermal communication with a heat source, wherein the heat source is a condenser. An apparatus is also described which comprises a chamber, one or more conduits inside the chamber for conveying a cooling fluid and an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes on an outer surface of the conduit. A gas introduced into the chamber condenses on the conduits and thermal energy is thereby transferred from the gas to the electrically polarizable material.