Work

The Fabrication and Output Power Characteristics of a Heat-Engine using a Shape Memory Alloy Spiral Spring Actuator

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: Heat-engines using shape memory alloy (SMA) were expected to be employed as heat-engines driven by low-temperature thermal energy. Therefore, some trial products of heat-engines using SMA were produced and studied. However, since the inhomogeneous temperatures of the SMA element result during heating / cooling of the SMA element, the product-life cycle of conventional heat-engines using SMA becomes short. Moreover, if large power outputs are to be achieved, these engines would become large in size. Therefore, conventional SMA heat-engines have not been put into practical use. We propose a new actuator using a SMA spiral spring. By using this system, the uniform heating / cooling of the SMA element (improvement of the product life) and downsizing of the equipment are expected. Therefore, we manufactured a prototype of a heat-engine using a SMA spiral spring actuator, and the output characteristics of this heat-engine were investigated.

Source: Transactions of the Materials Research Society of Japan

DOI: 10.14723/tmrsj.38.423

Authors: H. Cho, M. Senju, Y. Takeda, T. Yamamoto, T. Sakuma

Institutions: The University of Kitakyushu, Oita University

Language: English

Topic: Shape Memory Alloy Transformations

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science