Dielectric thermal power converter

Claim 1

A dielectric thermal power converter comprising: a plurality of capacitors, said capacitors being spaced apart and positioned in a stack, each of said capacitors having electrically conductive surfaces separated by a layer of dielectric material having a temperature dependent permittivity; an electrical circuit means including a connection between said surfaces of each of said capacitors, said connection having an inductance means in series therein; heat input and output end walls for receiving and rejecting heat and spaced from the first capacitor and last capacitor in the stack, respectively; fluids for transferring heat between adjacent capacitors and from said input wall to the first capacitor, and from the last capacitor to said output wall of said stack; side walls enclosing and isolating said fluids within the volumes between adjacent capacitors of said stack and between said input wall and the first capacitor, and between the last capacitor and said output wall of said stack; switching means positioned intermediate said adjacent spaced capacitors and between said heat input wall and the first capacitor, and between the last capacitor and said heat output wall of said stack and adapted to synchronously open and close to alternately communicate and block vapor flow, respectively, between adjacent surfaces to thereby cycle heat input and output of the dielectric material of each of said capacitors in synchronism with discharging and charging of each capacitor, respectively; wicks positioned intermediate said spaced, adjacent capacitors and between said heat input wall and the first capacitor, and between the last capacitor and said output wall of said stack and adapted to conduct liquid between adjacent surfaces; and, means associated with said inductance means for driving an electrical load.