Electrocaloric heat transfer system

Abstract

A heat transfer system is disclosed that includes a plurality of electrocaloric elements ( 12 ) including an electrocaloric film ( 14 ), a first electrode ( 16 ) on a first side of the electrocaloric film, and a second electrode ( 18 ) on a second side of the electrocaloric film. A fluid flow path ( 20 ) is disposed along the plurality of electrocaloric elements, formed by corrugated fluid flow guide elements ( 19 ).

1 . A heat transfer system, comprising
 a plurality of electrocaloric elements comprising an electrocaloric film, a first electrode on a first side of the electrocaloric film, and a second electrode on a second side of the electrocaloric film; and   a fluid flow path along the plurality of electrocaloric elements, formed by corrugated fluid flow guide elements.   
     
     
         2 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated fluid flow guide elements comprise electrically non-conductive corrugated spacer elements disposed between adjacent electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         3 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the corrugated fluid flow guide elements comprise electrically conductive corrugated spacers disposed between adjacent electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         4 . The heat transfer system of  claim 3 , wherein the electrically conductive corrugated spacers comprise shaped electrically conductive structures in electrical contact with electrodes on adjacent electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         5 . The heat transfer system of  claim 3 , wherein the electrically conductive corrugated spacers comprise an extension of conductive material electrodes on adjacent electrocaloric elements in a direction normal to a surface of the electrocaloric polymer film. 
     
     
         6 . The heat transfer system of  claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive corrugated spacers are configured as a microchannel structure or an open-cell foam. 
     
     
         7 . The heat transfer system of  claim 3 , wherein the electrically conductive corrugated spacers comprise carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         8 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow guide elements comprise electrocaloric elements from said plurality of electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         9 . The heat transfer system of  claim 8 , wherein the electrocaloric elements comprise alternating adjacent flat electrocaloric elements and corrugated electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         10 . The heat transfer system of  claim 8 , wherein the electrocaloric elements comprise complementary corrugated electrocaloric elements that cooperate to form a honeycomb structure. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The heat transfer system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of electrocaloric elements are arranged in an alternating order of polarity between adjacent electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A heat transfer system, comprising a continuous electrocaloric film comprising electrode layers on each side thereof, looped on a plurality of support elements to form a plurality of physically separated layers of the electrocaloric polymer film providing a fluid flow path between adjacent layers. 
     
     
         15 . The heat transfer system of  claim 14 , wherein the electrocaloric film comprises an electrocaloric polymer. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The heat transfer system of  claim 14 , further comprising one or more electrically conductive spacer elements disposed between adjacent layers of the electrocaloric film. 
     
     
         18 . The heat transfer system of  claim 14 , further comprising one or more electrically non-conductive spacer elements disposed between adjacent layers of the electrocaloric film. 
     
     
         19 . The heat transfer system of  claim 14 , wherein the support elements further comprise electrical bus elements in electrical contact with the conductive material electrode layers. 
     
     
         20 . The heat transfer system of  claim 14 , wherein the loops of the continuous electrocaloric polymer film are in a back and forth configuration. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , comprising at least two adjacent electrocaloric elements that share an electrode at least partially embedded between the electrocaloric films of the adjacent electrocaloric elements. 
     
     
         24 . The heat transfer system of  claim 23 , wherein the embedded electrode is a live electrode, and comprising ground electrodes adjacent to the fluid flow path. 
     
     
         25 . The heat transfer system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrocaloric film comprises an electrocaloric polymer film under tensile stress.