Patent ID: 9612169
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: F25B,G01K,G01R,H01L

Claim:
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.