THERMAL ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM

摘要

A thermal energy harvesting system includes a pair of shape memory sections formed of shape memory alloy (SMA) material that are each disposed within a tube. The shape memory sections are fixed in position at one end and are attached at another end to a rotating shaft that is in mechanical communication with a power generator. Fluid inlet valves are provided in each housing and are each controlled to alternatingly supply hot and cold fluid to the tubes to selectively heat and cool the shape memory sections. This results in the cyclical contraction and expansion of the shape memory sections, which causes oscillating rotation of the shaft that is converted by the power generator into electrical power.

主权项

1. A thermal energy harvesting system comprising:
a frame to rotatably carry a shaft adapted to be coupled to a power generator; a first elongated tube having a first shape memory section at least partially enclosed therein, said first shape memory section having one end attached to said shaft and a second end adapted to be attached to a fixed point; a second elongated tube having a second shape memory section at least partially enclosed therein, said second shape memory section having one end attached to said shaft and a second end adapted to be attached to a fixed point; a first inlet valve in fluid communication with said first tube to control the flow of hot and cold fluid into said first tube; a second inlet valve in fluid communication with said second tube to control the flow of hot and cold fluid into said second tube; and a controller coupled to said first and second inlet valves to control the flow of fluid from said first and second inlet valves; wherein when said first tube is filled with hot fluid and said second tube is filled with cold fluid, said first shape memory section contracts lengthwise and said second shape memory section expands lengthwise to rotate said shaft in a first direction, and when said first tube is filled with cold fluid and said second tube is filled with hot fluid, said first shape memory section expands lengthwise and said second shape memory section contracts lengthwise to rotate said shaft in an opposite direction, whereupon said power generator converts the rotation of said shaft into electrical power.