Device and process for the production and transfer of heating and cooling power

Abstract

A device and process for the production and transfer of heating and cooling power are described, in which a resonant electric circuit having a capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material connected to an inductor is used. The resonant circuit has comprises a variable electrical power supply section with a working frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the circuit.

1 . A device for the production and transfer of heating and cooling power, comprising an electrical resonant circuit having a first inductor connected to a first capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material, wherein said resonant circuit comprises a variable electrical power supply section with a working frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the circuit, wherein the electrical power supply section of said resonant circuit comprises a constant voltage source and a pulse source with a predetermined duty cycle for modulating said constant voltage. 
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said resonant circuit is free of resistors and diodes. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a second inductor is magnetically coupled to said first inductor, and wherein a second capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material is connected to said second inductor. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said resonant circuit comprises a plurality of stages connected in parallel to said constant power supply voltage, and wherein each of said stages comprises a first inductor and a first capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said resonant circuit comprises a plurality of stages connected in parallel to said constant power supply voltage, wherein each of said stages comprises a second inductor magnetically coupled to said first inductor, and wherein a first capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material is connected to said first inductor, and a second capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material is connected to said second inductor. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric of electrocaloric material of said capacitors comprises one or more layers of a thin film, a thick film or crystals of either a terpolymer or a ferroelectric ceramic material able to heat up when it is subjected to an electric field. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric of electrocaloric material of said capacitors comprises one or more layers of a thin film, a thick film or crystals of a ferroelectric ceramic material able to cool down when it is subjected to an electric field. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said inductors comprise nanocrystalline magnetic cores. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said inductors comprise windings of conductors made of carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said pulse source with a predetermined duty cycle comprises a gallium nitride field-effect transistor. 
     
     
         11 . A process for producing and transferring heating and cooling power, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a resonant electrical circuit having a first inductor connected to a first capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material; and   b) electrically powering said first capacitor and said first inductor with a variable voltage having a working frequency equal to the resonance frequency of the circuit, wherein step b) provides powering the resonant circuit with a constant voltage source and modulating said constant voltage with a pulse source having a predetermined duty cycle.   
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein a step is provided which comprises magnetically coupling a second inductor to said first inductor, and wherein a second capacitor with a dielectric of electrocaloric material is connected to said second inductor. 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the production and transfer of heating power comprise heating a solid body, a fluid or a combination thereof, and wherein the dielectric of electrocaloric material of said capacitors comprises one or more layers of a thin film, a thick film or crystals of either a terpolymer or a ferroelectric ceramic material. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the production and transfer of cooling power comprise cooling a solid body, a fluid or a combination thereof, and wherein the dielectric of electrocaloric material of said capacitors comprises one or more layers of a thin film, a thick film or crystals of a ferroelectric ceramic material. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein said resonance frequency f r  is greater than or equal to 2 kHz. 
     
     
         16 . A heating or cooling apparatus comprising a device for the production and transfer of heating and cooling power according to  claim 1 .