US 10,749,449 B2Granted

Electroactive polymer expansion power cycle

OwnerPhillip R. Martineauinventor

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Abstract

Electroactive polymer expansion power cycle (100) converts thermal energy contained in working fluid (20) to electrical energy. Electroactive polymer expansion power cycle (100) comprises a pump (110), a boiler (120), a boiler electroactive polymer reservoir (130), an expansion electroactive polymer reservoir assembly (140), and a condenser (150). The boiler electroactive polymer assembly (140) is comprised of a transducer (10), that generates electricity resulting from the inflation and deflation of the boiler electroactive polymer reservoir (130). Transducer (10) is comprised of one or more polymer spacers (502) sandwiched between one or more top electrodes (504) and bottom electrode (506) pairs. The electroactive polymer assembly (140) is comprised of one or more electroactive polymer reservoirs that are similar in design to the boiler electroactive polymer assembly (130). These electroactive polymer reservoirs generate electricity through the same process as the electricity generated by the boiler electroactive polymer reservoir (140).

Claims16

Dependent claims

A closed thermodynamic cycle for conversion of thermal energy contained in a working fluid, directly to electrical energy, said closed thermodynamic cycle wherein the improvement comprises:

a. one or more electrical generators comprising at least one cavity wherein said cavity is formed by electricity generating transducers, configured for expanding a gaseous working fluid from a first pressure to a second pressure, each transducer comprising one or more pairs of electrodes and one or more polymer spacers sandwiched between one or more pairs of electrodes in a configuration that causes a change in electric field in response to said working fluid flowing from the cavity and causing the cavity to deflect from a first position to a second position;
and
b. one or more charge elements designed or configured to transfer electrical energy to said one or more pairs of electrodes when said electricity generating transducers are deflected to said first position;
and
c. one or more recovery elements designed or configured to transfer electrical energy from said one or more pair of electrodes when the electricity generating transducers are deflected to said second position;
and
d. one or more condensers, which receives the working fluid from the one or more electrical generators, configured to condense the working fluid from a vapor state to a liquid state;
and
e. at least one pump, which receives said liquid state working fluid from said condenser, configured to pressurize the liquid state working fluid from a lower pressure to a higher pressure wherein said lower pressure is below or the same as to the second pressure and the higher pressure the same as or higher than to the first pressure;
and
f. at least one boiler, which receives said pressurized working fluid from the pump, configured to vaporize the working fluid, at the first pressure, to a vapor state using an external heat source;
and
g. the one or more electrical generators which receives the working fluid, in said vapor state, from said boiler.

10 more elements

A method for conversion of thermal energy contained in a working fluid directly to electricity, said thermal energy conversion method provides:

a. one or more electrical generator means wherein each electrical generator comprising at least one cavity wherein said cavity is formed by electricity
b. generating transducers, configured for expanding a gaseous working fluid from a first pressure to a second pressure, each transducer comprising one or more pairs of electrodes and one or more polymer spacers sandwiched between one or more pairs of electrodes in a configuration that causes a change in electric field in response to said working fluid flowing from the cavity and causing the cavity to deflect from a first position to a second position;
and
c. one or more charge means that provides for charge elements designed or configured to transfer electrical energy to said one or more pairs of electrodes when said electricity generating transducers are deflected to said first position;
and
d. one or more recovery means that provides for one or more recovery elements designed or configured to transfer electrical energy from said one or more pair of electrodes when the electricity generating transducers are deflected to said second position;
and
e. one or more condensers means wherein each condenser receives working fluid from the one or more electrical generators, configured to condense the working fluid from a vapor state to a liquid state;
and
f. at least one pump means wherein each pump receives said liquid state working fluid from said condenser, configured to pressurize the liquid state working fluid from a lower pressure to a higher pressure wherein said lower pressure is below or the same as the second pressure and the higher pressure is the same as or above to the first pressure;
and
g. at least one boiler means, wherein each boiler receives said pressurized working fluid from the pump, configured to vaporize the working fluid, at the first pressure, to a vapor state using an external heat source;
and
h. the one or more electrical generator means wherein each electrical generator receives the working fluid, in said vapor state, from the toiler.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/882,231Filed 29 Jan 2018
Published: US 2019/0238069 A11 Aug 2019
Granted: 18 Aug 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H02N 2/181
Producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators: circuits; Control arrangements or methods
F01K 27/00
Plants for converting heat or fluid energy into mechanical energy, not otherwise
F25B 9/14
Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point: characterised by the cycle used, e.g.…
H10N 30/30
Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices: with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors