Study on the Output Power Characteristics of the Shape Memory Alloy Engine (2nd Report)

Abstract

It is necessary to develop a new power generation system using the unused thermal energy around 100 degrees C from a viewpoint of global warming prevention. Even if a shape memory alloy is bent in normal temperature, when it is heated, it has the feature which returns to the original straight form. Using this feature of a shape memory alloy, unused thermal energy will be able to transform into rotation energy, and finally it can change into electric energy. This research aims to develop the new power generation system which collects the unused thermal energy from the steam turbine which thrown away into the sea, the river, etc. The research was done from both sides of theory and an experiment about the rotation mechanism of the SMA engine, and its output characteistics. The theoretical formula for calculating predicts the rotation speed (ω) and the output power (P) of the SMA engine, was drawn from the size of a SMA belt, Young's modulus, and the radiuses of high-temperature and low-temperature rings. In addition, we conducted the experiment about rotation speed of SMA engine, and verified the part of validity of this theory indirectly.