Shape Memory Alloy - Heat Engine?
Answer:
Well, let's see..
Shape Memory Alloy, elastic properties of strongest SMA -- Nickel-Titanium...hmmmmmm
Make a heat engine out of shape memory...hmmmmmmmmm
Uhoh, uhoh, remembering "functional fatigue" as a drawback. Applications need low to moderate cycling speeds (whatever that's supposed to mean).
Present uses restricted to piping applications, actuator substitutions and dental work. Lots of other possibilities but none show up as dynamic as an engine. Heating/Shape Shifting limited to 2% to 5% elongation of dimensions.
Nope, sir. Present-day technology just doesn't support it....yet. Don't give up on the idea, though. Future advances may open up a door or two for you.
Im not exactly sure what shape memory is and I cannot give you a straight answer. But I am hoping I can point you in the right direction. I do however know a lot about heat engines and one defining charastic of them is that a temperature differential causes a working fluid to create mechanical work. The heat must be absorbed by fluid. Now that I think about it, I would turn you away from heat engines because heat engines are limited by the carnot efficiency and are generally inefficient. Things like solar panels, which cause chemical reactions and fuel cells are not actually heat engines. Your best bet to harness that energy might be with electromagnetism but then if you think about how efficient solar panels are with the sun's energy the chances are that whatever device is ultimately made from shape memory will be far less efficient than our photovolatic solar panels. I definately wouldn't steer you away from pursuing it further but I would also remind you that no energy is free energy. Good luck!
I have enclosed a link to Nitinol Metal Engine driven by hot water. Go to the link a school down a few project. Sounds like a fun project to build.
Good Luck!
http://www.imagesco.com/catalog/nitinol/...
The answers post by the user, for information only, FunQA.com does not guarantee the right.
More Questions and Answers: