Materials, devices, and methods for resonant ambient thermal energy harvesting using thermal diodes
US11616184B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 2018 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 29, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/60
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to materials, devices, and methods for resonant ambient thermal energy harvesting. Thermal energy can be harvested using thermoelectric resonators that capture and store ambient thermal fluctuations and convert the fluctuations to energy. The resonators can include non-linear heat transfer elements, such as thermal diodes, to enhance their performance. Incorporation of thermal diodes can allow for a dynamic rectification of temperature fluctuations into a single polarity temperature difference across a heat engine for power extraction, as compared to the dual polarity nature of the output voltage of linear thermal resonators, which typically necessitates electrical rectification to be routed to an entity for energy storage. In some embodiments, the thermal diode can be applied to transient energy harvesting to construct thermal diode bridges. Methods for constructing such devices, and using such devices, are also provided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.