The Neothermal Energy Company

Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Johnson Research Development Company, Inc.

The Neothermal Engergy Company

Ahmet Erbil

David F Walbert

An apparatus includes a thermal chamber, a first reservoir containing a first liquid/vapor two-phase system, a second reservoir containing a second liquid/vapor two-phase system and conduits connecting the first reservoir and second reservoir to the thermal chamber. The first and second liquid/vapor two-phase systems include a liquid phase and a separate vapor phase. The apparatus also includes a conduit connecting the vapor phases of the first and second reservoirs. The apparatus can be used to thermally cycle an object placed in the thermal chamber or the vapor region of the first reservoir. The object can include one or more layers of an electrically or magnetically polarizable material.

Apparatus for thermally cycling an object including a polarizable material

A method for converting heat to electric energy is described which involves thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes. The material is heated by extracting thermal energy from a gas to condense the gas into a liquid and transferring the thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material. An apparatus is also described which includes an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes and a heat exchanger for heating the material in thermal communication with a heat source, wherein the heat source is a condenser. An apparatus is also described which comprises a chamber, one or more conduits inside the chamber for conveying a cooling fluid and an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes on an outer surface of the conduit. A gas introduced into the chamber condenses on the conduits and thermal energy is thereby transferred from the gas to the electrically polarizable material.

Method and apparatus for generating electricity by thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material using heat from condensers

A method of thermally cycling an object includes alternately contacting the object with vapor from each of a first liquid-vapor two-phase system and of a second liquid-vapor two-phase system of a working fluid, each of the systems two-phase including a liquid phase and a separate vapor phase. The first system two-phase is at a higher temperature and pressure than the second system two-phase. The object can include one or more layers of an electrically or magnetically polarizable material. The object can be housed in a chamber thermal and alternately contacted with vapor from the first liquid-vapor two-phase system and the second liquid-vapor two-phase system contained in a first reservoir and in a second reservoir, respectively.

Method for thermally cycling an object including a polarizable material

A method for converting heat to electric energy is described which involves thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes. The material is heated using thermal energy obtained from: a combustion reaction; solar energy; a nuclear reaction; ocean water; geothermal energy; or thermal energy recovered from an industrial process. An apparatus is also described which includes an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes and a heat exchanger for heating the material. The heat source used to heat the material can be: a combustion apparatus; a solar thermal collector; or a component of a furnace exhaust device. Alternatively, the heat exchanger can be a device for extracting thermal energy from the earth, the sun, ocean water, an industrial process, a combustion reaction or a nuclear reaction. A vehicle is also described which comprises an apparatus for converting heat to electrical energy connected to an electric motor.

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

A method for converting heat to electricity by exploiting changes in spontaneous polarization that occur in electrically polarizable materials is described. The method uses an internally generated field to achieve poling during cycling. The internal poling field is produced by retaining residual free charges on the electrodes at the appropriate point of each cycle. The method obviates the need for applying a DC voltage during cycling and permits the use of the electrical energy that occurs during poling rather than an external poling voltage which detracts from the net energy produced per cycle. The method is not limited to a specific thermodynamic cycle and can be used with any thermodynamic cycle for converting heat to electricity by thermally cycling electrically polarizable materials. The electrical energy generated can be used in various applications or stored for later use. An apparatus for converting heat to electricity is also described.

Method and apparatus for conversion of heat to electrical energy using polarizable materials and an internally generated poling field

A method for converting heat to electricity is described. The method can be used to efficiently and economically generate electricity from thermal energy directly through ferroelectric or other polarizable materials without the need for first converting thermal energy to mechanical energy or to any other form of energy or work. The method can involve subjecting a polarizable material to a thermodynamic cycle having two isothermal steps and two steps that occur at constant polarization. In an ideal implementation, this thermodynamic cycle allows the conversion of heat to electricity at the ultimate Carnot limit. The ferroelectric material can be continuously cycled in and out of its ferroelectric phase while heat is continuously converted to electricity at high voltage. The electrical energy so generated can be used in a virtually unlimited range of different applications or be stored for later use. An apparatus for converting heat to electricity is also described.

Method and apparatus for conversion of heat to electrical energy using a new thermodynamic cycle

The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for converting heat to electric energy. The invention exploits the rapid changes in spontaneous polarization that occur in ferroelectric materials during phase change. The invention permits robust and economical generation of electric energy from thermal energy, and it can be used in many different applications. In one aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for converting heat to electric energy comprising a pair of electrodes; a ferroelectric layer formed there between with a ferroelectric material characterized with a Curie temperature, T, such that when the temperature of the ferroelectric material is lower than T, the ferroelectric material is in a ferroelectric phase in which very powerful polarization is established spontaneously in the unit cells of the ferroelectric material, and when the temperature of the ferroelectric material is greater than T, spontaneous polarization is not established in the unit cells of the ferroelectric material; and a means for alternately delivering a flow of cold fluid and a flow of hot fluid to the ferroelectric layer so as to alternately cool the ferroelectric layer at a first temperature Tthat is lower than T, and heat the ferroelectric layer at a second temperature Tthat is higher than T, thereby the ferroelectric material of the ferroelectric layer undergoes alternating phase transitions between the ferroelectric phase and the paraelectric phase with temperature cycling.

Apparatus and method for ferroelectric conversion of heat to electrical energy

A method of producing a layer of lithiated material is provided wherein a mixture of Li (TMHD) and Co (acac) is dissolved in an organic solvent comprising diglyme, toluene and HTMHD to produce a solution. The solution is deposited upon a substrate by atomizing the solution, passing the atomized solution through a heating zone so as to vaporize the solution, and directing the vaporized solution onto a substrate.

Method of producing lithium base cathodes

Coatings of Group IIA metals and compounds thereof are formed by chemical vapor deposition, in which a heat decomposable organometallic compound of the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein M is a transition metal of Group VB, VIB, VIIB or VIII, R.sub.1 is a lower alkyl or alkenyl radical containing from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 is a hydrogen or lower alkyl or alkenyl radical, n is the valence of M and is an integer from 2 to 4, and p is an integer from 0 to (n-1), is contacted with a heated substrate which is above the decomposition temperature of the organometallic compound. The pure metal is obtained when the compound of the formula I is the sole heat decomposable compound present and deposition is carried out under nonoxidizing conditions. Intermetallic compounds such as manganese telluride can be deposited from a manganese compound of formula I and a heat decomposable tellurium compound under nonoxidizing conditions.

Chemical vapor deposition of transistion metals

Mixed metal oxide films containing Group IIa metals and transition metals are deposited on a heated substrate by a chemical vapor deposition process using alkylcyclopentadienyl metal compound precursors and an oxidizing agent.

Chemical vapor deposition of mixed metal oxide coatings

Coatings of Group IIA metals and compounds thereof are formed by chemical vapor deposition, in which a heat decomposable organometallic compound of the formula (I) ##STR1## where M is a Group IIA metal, preferably magnesium, calcium, strontium, or barium and R is a lower alkyl or alkenyl radical containing from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms, with a heated substrate which is above the decomposition temperature of the organometallic compound. The pure metal is obtained when the compound of the formula I is the sole heat decomposable compound present and deposition is carried out under nonoxidizing conditions. Intermetallic compounds such as barium selenide can be deposited from a barium compound of formula I and a heat decomposable selenium compound under nonoxidizing conditions. Group II metal oxides and salts, such as barium titanate, are obtainable by deposition from a compound of formula I (and an additional titanium organometallic compound (under oxidizing conditions.

Chemical vapor deposition of group IIA metals and precursors therefor

Coatings of Group IIIB metals and compounds thereof are formed by chemical vapor deposition, in which a heat decomposable organometallic compound of the formula (I) ##STR1## where M is a Group IIIB metal, such as lanthanum or yttrium and R is a lower alkyl or alkenyl radical containing from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms, with a heated substrate which is above the decomposition temperature of the organometallic compound. The pure metal is obtained when the compound of the formula I is the sole heat decomposable compound present and deposition is carried out under nonoxidizing conditions. Intermetallic compounds such as lanthanum telluride can be deposited from a lanthanum compound of formula I and a heat decomposable tellurium compound under nonoxidizing conditions.

Chemical vapor deposition of group IIIB metals

Coatings of Group IB metals are formed by chemical vapor deposition, in which a heat decomposable organometallic compound of the formula (I) ##STR1## where M is a Group IB metal such as copper, and R is a lower alkyl radical containing from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, is contacted under nonoxidizing conditions with a heated substrate which is above the decomposition temperature of the organometallic compound. The pure metal is obtained when the compound of the formula I is the sole heat decomposable compound present and deposition is carried out under nonoxidizing conditions. Intermetallic compounds such as copper indium diselenide can be deposited from a copper oxide compound of formula I and a heat decomposable selenium and indium compounds under nonoxidizing conditions. Group II metal oxides and salts, such as barium titanate, are obtainable by deposition from a compound of formula I (and an additional organometallic compound when required) under oxidizing conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Ahmet Erbil