Method and apparatus for generating electricity by thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material using heat from various sources and a vehicle comprising the apparatus

An apparatus for converting heat to electric energy, comprising:

• (a) a first electrode formed of a thermally and electrically conductive material;
• (b) a second electrode formed of a thermally and electrically conductive material, wherein the second electrode is spaced from the first electrode;
• (c) one or more layers of electrically polarizable material between the first and second electrodes, the one or more layers of electrically polarizable material having a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein the first electrode is positioned on the first surface and the second electrode is positioned on the second surface;
• (d) a first heat exchanger for adding thermal energy to the one or more layers of electrically polarizable material, wherein the heat exchanger is in thermal communication with a heat source;
• (e) a second heat exchanger for removing thermal energy from the one or more layers of electrically polarizable material, wherein the heat exchanger is in thermal communication with a heat sink;
• and
• (f) a control circuit, the control circuit:
• thermally cycling the one or more layers of electrically polarizable material between a first temperature T1 and a second temperature T2 by alternately adding thermal energy to and withdrawing thermal energy from the one or more layers of electrically polarizable material using the first and second heat exchangers, respectively, wherein the electrically polarizable material exhibits spontaneous polarization at T1 and wherein the spontaneous polarization exhibited by the electrically polarizable material at T2 is less than the spontaneous polarization exhibited by the electrically polarizable material at T1;
• wherein a DC poling voltage is applied to the one or more layers of electrically polarizable material such that, when the material is in a first portion of the cycle which includes the temperature T1, the electrically polarizable material develops an overall net spontaneous polarization and screening charges are generated on the first and second electrodes;
• and
• 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 T2;
• and
• wherein, when T2>T1, the first and second electrodes are connected to the load while thermal energy is being added to the electrically polarizable material and when T2<T1, the first and second electrodes are connected to the load while thermal energy is being withdrawn from the electrically polarizable material;
• wherein the heat source is:
• a combustion apparatus;
• a solar thermal collector;
• or a component of a furnace exhaust device;
• or
• wherein the first heat exchanger comprises:
• a device for extracting thermal energy from the earth;
• a device for extracting thermal energy from the sun;
• a device for extracting thermal energy from ocean water;
• a device for extracting thermal energy from an industrial process;
• a device for extracting thermal energy from a combustion reaction;
• or a device for extracting thermal energy from a nuclear reaction.

A method for converting heat to electric energy, comprising:

• thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material between a first temperature T1 and a second temperature T2 by alternately adding thermal energy to and withdrawing thermal energy from the electrically polarizable material, wherein the electrically polarizable material is positioned between first and second electrodes each formed of a thermally and electrically conductive material, wherein the electrically polarizable material exhibits spontaneous polarization at T1 and wherein the spontaneous polarization exhibited by the electrically polarizable material at T2 is less than the spontaneous polarization exhibited by the electrically polarizable material at T1;
• 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 T1, the electrically polarizable material develops an overall net spontaneous polarization and screening charges are generated on the first and second electrodes;
• 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 T2;
• wherein adding thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material comprises drawing ocean water from a first depth, extracting thermal energy from the ocean water and transferring the thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material;
• and
• wherein withdrawing thermal energy from the electrically polarizable material comprises drawing ocean water from a second depth greater than the first depth and transferring thermal energy from the electrically polarizable material to the ocean water.