{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35185"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/35185","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Heat Engine Driven by Shape Memory Alloys: Prototyping and Design","abstract":"This work presents a novel approach to arranging shape memory alloy (SMA) wires into a functional heat engine. Significant contributions include the design itself, a preliminary analytical model and the realization of a research prototype; thereby, laying a foundation from which to base refinements and seek practical applications. Shape memory alloys are metallic materials that, if deformed when cold, can forcefully recover their original, \"memorized\" shapes, when heated. The proposed engine consists of a set of SMA wires stretched between two crankshafts, synchronized to rotate in the same direction. Cranks on the first crankshaft are slightly longer than cranks on the second. During operation, the engine is positioned between two distinct thermal reservoirs such that half of its wires are heated while the other half are cooled. Wires on the hot side attempt to contract, driving the engine in the direction that relieves the heat-induced stress. Wires on the cold side soften and stretch as the engine rotates. Because the force generated during heated recovery exceeds that required for cooled deformation, the engine is capable of generating shaft power. Limited experimental measurements of shaft speed were performed. An analytical model of the engine predicts that the maximum output power for the prototype, under test conditions, should be 0.75 W. Thermal efficiency, though not measured or calculated in this work, is expected to be low. Potential applications may include the conversion of waste heat into shaft power.","abstract_html":"This work presents a novel approach to arranging shape memory alloy (SMA) wires into a functional heat engine. Significant contributions include the design itself, a preliminary analytical model and the realization of a research prototype; thereby, laying a foundation from which to base refinements and seek practical applications. Shape memory alloys are metallic materials that, if deformed when cold, can forcefully recover their original, "memorized" shapes, when heated. The proposed engine consists of a set of SMA wires stretched between two crankshafts, synchronized to rotate in the same direction. Cranks on the first crankshaft are slightly longer than cranks on the second. During operation, the engine is positioned between two distinct thermal reservoirs such that half of its wires are heated while the other half are cooled. Wires on the hot side attempt to contract, driving the engine in the direction that relieves the heat-induced stress. Wires on the cold side soften and stretch as the engine rotates. Because the force generated during heated recovery exceeds that required for cooled deformation, the engine is capable of generating shaft power. Limited experimental measurements of shaft speed were performed. An analytical model of the engine predicts that the maximum output power for the prototype, under test conditions, should be 0.75 W. Thermal efficiency, though not measured or calculated in this work, is expected to be low. Potential applications may include the conversion of waste heat into shaft power.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Schiller, Ean H."],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Reinholtz, Charles F."],"committee_members":["Leo, Donald J.","Robertshaw, Harry H."],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-09-19","date_published":"2002-09-19","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:12Z","subjects":["SMA","heat engine","shape memory alloys","Nitinol"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-09252002-170731"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-09252002-170731","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35185","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Reinholtz, Charles F."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Leo, Donald J.","Robertshaw, Harry H."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Schiller, Ean H."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:45:57Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:45:57Z","2003-10-01"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2002-09-19"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["SMA","heat engine","shape memory alloys","Nitinol"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-09252002-170731"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/35185"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This work presents a novel approach to arranging shape memory alloy (SMA) wires into a functional heat engine. Significant contributions include the design itself, a preliminary analytical model and the realization of a research prototype; thereby, laying a foundation from which to base refinements and seek practical applications. Shape memory alloys are metallic materials that, if deformed when cold, can forcefully recover their original, \"memorized\" shapes, when heated. The proposed engine consists of a set of SMA wires stretched between two crankshafts, synchronized to rotate in the same direction. Cranks on the first crankshaft are slightly longer than cranks on the second. During operation, the engine is positioned between two distinct thermal reservoirs such that half of its wires are heated while the other half are cooled. Wires on the hot side attempt to contract, driving the engine in the direction that relieves the heat-induced stress. Wires on the cold side soften and stretch as the engine rotates. Because the force generated during heated recovery exceeds that required for cooled deformation, the engine is capable of generating shaft power. Limited experimental measurements of shaft speed were performed. An analytical model of the engine predicts that the maximum output power for the prototype, under test conditions, should be 0.75 W. Thermal efficiency, though not measured or calculated in this work, is expected to be low. Potential applications may include the conversion of waste heat into shaft power."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Heat Engine Driven by Shape Memory Alloys: Prototyping and Design"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Reinholtz, Charles F."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Leo, Donald J.","Robertshaw, Harry H."],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Schiller, Ean H."],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:45:57Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:45:57Z","2003-10-01"],"dc:date.issued":["2002-09-19"],"dc:description.abstract":["This work presents a novel approach to arranging shape memory alloy (SMA) wires into a functional heat engine. Significant contributions include the design itself, a preliminary analytical model and the realization of a research prototype; thereby, laying a foundation from which to base refinements and seek practical applications. Shape memory alloys are metallic materials that, if deformed when cold, can forcefully recover their original, \"memorized\" shapes, when heated. The proposed engine consists of a set of SMA wires stretched between two crankshafts, synchronized to rotate in the same direction. Cranks on the first crankshaft are slightly longer than cranks on the second. During operation, the engine is positioned between two distinct thermal reservoirs such that half of its wires are heated while the other half are cooled. Wires on the hot side attempt to contract, driving the engine in the direction that relieves the heat-induced stress. Wires on the cold side soften and stretch as the engine rotates. Because the force generated during heated recovery exceeds that required for cooled deformation, the engine is capable of generating shaft power. Limited experimental measurements of shaft speed were performed. An analytical model of the engine predicts that the maximum output power for the prototype, under test conditions, should be 0.75 W. Thermal efficiency, though not measured or calculated in this work, is expected to be low. 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