US 12,135,150 B2
Electrocaloric heat transfer articles and systems
Subramanyaravi Annapragada, South Windsor, CT (US); Aritra Sur, Manchester, CT (US); Craig R. Walker, South Glastonbury, CT (US); Parmesh Verma, South Windsor, CT (US); and Hayden M. Reeve, West Hartford, CT (US)
Assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
Appl. No. 17/059,836
Filed by Carrier Corporation, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/060489
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 30, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/097473, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/758,351, filed on Nov. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0254866 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
Int. Cl. F25B 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC F25B 21/00 (2013.01) [F25B 2321/001 (2013.01); Y02B 30/00 (2013.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat transfer system, comprising
a first electrocaloric module comprising an electrocaloric material disposed between electrodes, and a first module fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the electrocaloric material, said first module fluid flow path extending from a first side of the first electrocaloric module to a second side of the first electrocaloric module;
a second electrocaloric module comprising an electrocaloric material disposed between electrodes, and a second module fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the electrocaloric material, said second module fluid flow path extending from a first side of the second electrocaloric module to a second side of the second electrocaloric module, wherein the first and second electrocaloric modules arranged to align the first side of the first electrocaloric module with the first side of the second electrocaloric module, and the second side of the first electrocaloric module with the second side of the second module;
a first fluid transport flow path between a heat source and the first sides of the first and second electrocaloric modules;
a second fluid transport flow path between a heat sink and the second sides of the first and second electrocaloric modules;
a first prime mover arranged to direct a working fluid in a direction from the first fluid transport flow path through the first or second module fluid flow path to the second fluid transport flow path;
a second prime mover arranged to direct a working fluid in a direction from the second fluid transport flow path through the first or second module fluid flow path to the first fluid transport flow path;
a rotary fluid control device including a plurality of openings along the first and second fluid transport flow paths, said rotary fluid control device configured to rotate relative to the first and second electrocaloric modules between first and second positions, wherein
in the first position, the first module flow path is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the first prime mover, and the second module flow path is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the second prime mover, and
in the second position, the first module flow path is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the second prime mover, and the second module flow path is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the first prime mover;
wherein the rotary fluid control device includes first, second, third, and fourth openings, wherein each of said first, second, third, and fourth openings is in controllable operative fluid communication between two of: the first side of the first electrocaloric module, the first side of the second electrocaloric module, the second side of the first electrocaloric module, and the second side of the second electrocaloric module,
wherein the rotary fluid control device comprises a first valve member including the first and second openings disposed on the first fluid transport flow path, and a second valve member including the third and fourth openings disposed on the second fluid transport flow path, each of said first and second valve members configured to rotate between the first and second positions about an axis of rotation parallel to an axis extending between the first and second valve members.