Fuel-powered compact SMA actuator

This work discusses the numerical analysis, the design and experimental test of the fuel-powered compact SMA actuator along with its capabilities and limitations. Convection heating and cooling using water actuate the SMA element of the actuator. The energy of fuels, having a high energy density, is used as the energy source for the SMA actuator in order to increase power and energy density of the system, and thus in order to obviate the need for electrical power supplies such as batteries. The system is composed of pump, valves, bellows, heater (burner), control unit and a displacement amplification device. The experimental test of the first designed SMA actuator system results in 150 M Pa stress (force: 1560N) with 3 percent strain and 0.5 Hz actuation frequency. The actuation frequency is compared with the prediction obtained from numerical analysis. For the first designed fuel-powered SMA actuator system, the results of numerical analysis were utilized in determining design parameters and operating conditions.