Patent ID: 8946538
Filing Date: 2015-02-03
Classification: F28B,F28D,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for converting heat to electric energy, comprising: thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material between a first temperature T wherein a DC poling voltage is applied to the electrically polarizable material such that, when the electrically polarizable material is in a first portion of the cycle which includes the temperature T wherein the first and second electrodes are connected to a load such that electrical energy is output from the first and second electrodes to the load when the electrically polarizable material is in a second portion of the cycle which includes the temperature T wherein adding thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material comprises extracting thermal energy from a gas to condense the gas into a liquid and transferring the thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material; wherein residual charges are left on the first and second electrodes after electrical energy is output to the load and wherein the residual charges provide the DC poling voltage for the next cycle.