Methods, systems, and devices for calculating temperature change of an electrocaloric effect material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612169-B2
Application number	US-201414303326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Aug 24, 2010
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

Examples are generally described that include monitoring an electrocaloric effect device. A varying voltage may he applied across an electrocaloric effect material. A capacitance change of the electrocaloric effect material at least in part responsive to the varying voltage may be measured. A temperature change of the electrocaloric effect material may be calculated based, at least in part, on the capacitance change.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electrocaloric effect system comprising:
an electrocaloric effect material;
a signal source positioned to apply a varying voltage across the electrocaloric effect material;
a capacitance measurement unit coupled to the electrocaloric effect material and configured to measure a capacitance of the electrocaloric effect material and further configured to generate a signal indicative of a change in capacitance of the electrocaloric effect material responsive to the varying voltage,
wherein the varying voltage comprises a plurality of discrete pulses having a magnitude between a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage;
wherein the capacitance measurement unit is configured to compare the capacitance of the electrocaloric effect material with a reference capacitance of a reference capacitor; and
a temperature calculation unit coupled to the capacitance measurement unit, wherein the temperature calculation unit is configured to receive the signal indicative of the change in capacitance of the electrocaloric effect material, calculate a change in polarization of the electrocaloric effect material, based at least in part, on the capacitance change, and generate a signal indicative of a temperature change of the electrocaloric effect material based, at least in part, on the change in polarization.

2. The electrocaloric effect system of claim 1 , wherein the signal source at least partially includes the capacitance measurement unit.

3. The electrocaloric effect system of claim 1 , wherein the capacitance measurement unit comprises a circuit configured to measure a voltage at a node between the electrocaloric effect material and the reference capacitor.

4. The electrocaloric effect system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature calculation unit is further coupled to the signal source and configured to alter the varying voltage across the electrocaloric effect material based, at least in part, on a calculated temperature change.

5. The electrocaloric effect system of claim 4 , wherein the varying voltage across the electocaloric effect material is altered to reduce a difference between the temperature change and a threshold.

6. The electrocaloric effect system of claim 1 , wherein the temperature calculation unit is configured to combine the signal indicative of the change in capacitance with a fixed constant.

7. The electrocaloric effect system of claim 6 , wherein the fixed constant is based, at least in part, on a geometry of the electrocaloric effect material.

Assignees

• Empire Technology Dev Llc
• Empire Technology Dev Llc

Inventors

• Kruglick Ezekiel

Classifications

• F25B2321/001

  by using electro-caloric effects · CPC title

• G01K17/00 Primary

  Measuring quantity of heat (measuring temperature by calorimetry G01K3/00 - G01K11/00; specially adapted for measuring thermal properties of materials, e.g. specific heat, heat of combustion G01N) · CPC title

• G01R27/2605

  Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24) · CPC title

• G01R27/26

  Measuring inductance or capacitance; Measuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance method; Measuring loss factor; Measuring dielectric constants {; Measuring impedance or related variables} · CPC title

• H01L37/02

  Electricity · mapped topic