US Patent 8695353 Electrocaloric cooling

Techniques are generally described for devices for cooling using electrocaloric material as refrigerant and methods for cooling using electrocaloric material. An example cooling system may comprise a refrigerant unit having an electrocaloric membrane disposed between a heat sink and a cooling load. The electrocaloric membrane may alternate between thermal contact with the heat sink and cooling load. The electrocaloric membrane may also be subjected to alternating electric fields for polarizing and depolarizing the electrocaloric membrane in a manner that promotes heat transfer from the cooling load to the heat sink.