SMA BUNDLE PISTON CUSHIONING SYSTEM FOR USE IN AN ENERGY RECOVERY DEVICE
First Claim
1. An energy recovery system comprising a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements arranged as a plurality of wires positioned substantially parallel with each other to define a core;
- a hydraulic chamber in communication with one end of the core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy; and
an energy storage device adapted to provide a low pressure relative to the pressure in the hydraulic chamber.
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Abstract
The invention provides an energy recovery system comprising a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements arranged as a plurality of wires positioned substantially parallel with each other to define a core; a hydraulic chamber in communication with one end of the core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy; and an energy storage device adapted to provide a lower pressure relative to the pressure in the hydraulic chamber. The invention addresses an unbalance in stress distribution across the SMA bundle that occurs as a result of the mechanism of fluid input into the SMA core. The net effect of the fluid dynamics at the entrance to the core is that SMA wires at the exterior of the bundle activate before wires on the interior of the bundle.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An energy recovery system comprising a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements arranged as a plurality of wires positioned substantially parallel with each other to define a core;
- a hydraulic chamber in communication with one end of the core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy; and
an energy storage device adapted to provide a low pressure relative to the pressure in the hydraulic chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- a hydraulic chamber in communication with one end of the core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy; and
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8. A method of recovering energy comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements as a plurality of wires positioned substantially parallel with each other to define a core;
- coupling a hydraulic chamber with one end of the core and converting movement of the core into energy; and
providing a low pressure relative to the pressure in the hydraulic chamber by using an energy storage device.
- coupling a hydraulic chamber with one end of the core and converting movement of the core into energy; and
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9. An energy recovery system comprising a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements arranged as a plurality of wires positioned substantially parallel with each other to define a core;
- a chamber in communication with one end of the core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy; and
an energy storage device adapted to provide a low pressure relative to the pressure in the chamber.
- a chamber in communication with one end of the core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy; and
Specification