Electro-Thermal Actuation Control for Unlocking Memory Metal Power Generation & Energy Conversion, Year 1
Project Description
The work will be subdivided into four stages. The first stage will construct a test bed fixture with actively cooled and heated side blocks on two sides of a Nitinol memory actuator. EFA techniques will than be employed to alternately draw thermal energy to the Nitinol actuator from the thermally controlled side blocks. Once effective arrangements are obtained the thermal flow attributes will be characterized with the aid of thermal imaging for designing a fully enclosed housing. From this, an Electro-Thermal Actuation Control can be designed with no moving parts and very low power consumption. The second stage will involve control circuitry development. The circuitry for continually alternating the thermal energy pull from the hot and cool blocks will be designed, constructed and refined into a footprint suitable for packaging into prototype devices. The third stage will employ energy generating coils. The coils will be constructed and added to the test bed arrangements for exploring the energy generating capabilities of the apparatus. The fourth stage will refine the entire system into a prototype unit. The prototype unit will be constructed with a thermal fin for air cooling on one side with a thermal mounting block on the other. This will allow experimental data collection to be gathered when the unit is fixed firmly against thermal sources. The unit will be used to evaluate the net power generation from different thermal sources. The potential to obtain around 1000 watts of power when fastened to a modest thermal source from the table top sized prototype is highly probable.
More »Anticipated Benefits
The next logical progression of the work is the development and construction of a verity of Memory Alloy Power Generators for deployment and demonstration. The research can lead to a new type of energy generation technology practical in converting thermal energy into motion or electrical power for nuclear propulsion systems. Even automobiles can use the technology to turn engine heat into electrical power for lowering the nation's fuel consumption. Significant power generation can be realistically achieved by coupling the enhanced thermally stable Nitinol technology into dynamo devices. Energy generation from thermal gradients can potentially be converted by the technology on a large scale. Thermal gradient conditions provided from natural environment such as volcanos and ice caps can be harnessed similarly to the quantities of power produced from the Niagara Falls water turbine generators. On a small scale, power generation can be feasibly developed for powering homes from thermal gradient sources such as solar heating. This kind of Nitinol generator could help alleviate the Nations already overburdened electrical power grid. The Nitinol Technology has the potential to recover waste heat and convert the heat into power on a large and small scale for reducing the centers power consumption. The center can lead the nation into a new future with advanced Nitinol technology, and this effort will begin to generate power in an entirely new way.
More »Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Stennis Space Center
(SSC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Stennis Space Center, Mississippi |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Mississippi
