Field effect memory alloy heat engine

Patent · Tue Aug 04 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6068436

Johnson, A D; Kirkpatrick, P F

A heat engine employing a memory alloy and a force field such as gravity for converting heat energy into mechanical work is disclosed. Field effect elements are mounted on the distal ends of flexible spokes which in turn are mounted about a hub to form a rotating wheel. The memory alloy is in the form of a helix disposed about the circumference of the wheel and interconnecting the ends of adjacent spoke pairs. Heat is transferred to segments of the memory alloy on one side of the wheel so that the segments deform toward their memory shape and deflect the associated spokes toward each other. Heat is transferred away from the memory alloy segments on the opposite side so that the segments deform toward their trained shape and permit the spokes to flex apart. The concentration of field effect elements on the first side of the wheel is greater than the concentration on the other side so that the resultant force created by a remote field acts as a torque for rotating the wheel.

• Assignee: IFI; EDB-82-014141
• Patent Number(s): US 4281513
• OSTI ID: 6068436
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 6 Apr 1979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
NITINOL HEAT ENGINES
DESIGN
ENERGY CONVERSION
FLEXIBILITY
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
KINETIC ENERGY
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NITINOL
ROTATION
SHAPE MEMORY EFFECT
TORQUE
WHEELS
ALLOYS
CONVERSION
ENERGY
ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MOTION
NICKEL ALLOYS
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TITANIUM ALLOYS
425007* - Engineering- Power Cycles- Other- (1980-)