DE202023100127U1 - Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature - Google Patents

Abstract

Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, characterized in that gases are compressed by shape memory alloys above the transformation temperature.

Description

Shape memory alloys (also memory metals or shape memory metals) have been known for a long time. These are mostly metals or alloys that can exist in two different crystal structures. The standard form is produced at very high temperatures. After deformation, the original shape is resumed above the transformation temperature. The basic form is also taken against a clear mechanical resistance.

One of the best-known representatives of these alloys is Nitinol, which was manufactured in 1958. The name Nitinol is an acronym of the metals and the location of the laboratory: Nickel Titan Naval Ordnance Laboratory.

Other "memory materials" are, for example, made of copper-zinc (possibly with aluminium) alloys, copper-aluminium and nickel, iron-nickel and aluminium, etc. and now also made of plastics.

The production of e.g. Nitinol is currently still quite expensive and complex, since a vacuum is required and high purity is required. Another disadvantage is that the efficiency of e.g. 16% is still quite low. In addition, to generate electricity - as usual - a temperature difference is required. However, the ambient air at e.g. about 10° Celsius (283 Kelvin) has an energy content that is usually underestimated and is available in unlimited quantities.

It has also long been known that gases that are compressed experience an increase in temperature. Depending on the pressure and the material-specific adiabatic exponent, the necessary temperature difference between the compressed gas and the ambient air, which the shape memory alloys require, can be generated with a manageable amount of energy.

Such power or heat generation is independent of the time of day and year. Solar cells / photovoltaics and wind power plants are probably sustainable and regenerative but not always available.

The goal is decentralized power generation that does not have any disruptive infrastructure, does not require new buildings and causes little environmental pollution. Local alternatives should be used instead of extremely complex fusion power plants or other large power plants. There are many other reasons why locally generated energy is better than large-scale power plants.

My invention is based on the advancement of machines with shape memory alloys that generate electricity and heat day and night.

• JP0000S5990777A , u.a. mit einem Kolben und Freon im Kühlzyklus,
• US000004325217A , u.a. mit einem Kolben und kaltem sowie warmen Wasser,
• US000004434618A , u.a. als Wärmepumpe über eine Kurbelwelle,
• US000004646523A , u.a. als Wärme- und Wasserpumpe,
• US000004938026A , u.a. als Wärmepumpe und Nitinol als flexible Feder an einem Zahnrad,
• US000011028836B2 , u.a. mit einem Kolben und zwei Medien,
• US020060144048A1 , u.a. mit einem Kolben und Sonnenkollektorwärme sowie magnetkalorischem Effekt,
• WO001984004947A1 , Wärme in mechanische Energie u.a. mit Runddraht für Motoren und Schiffen,
• WO001986004960A1 , u.a. mit einem Linearmotor und Wechsel zwischen kaltem sowie heißem Bad,
• WO002000072783A1 , u.a. Pumpen als Medizinprodukt für Wirbelsäulen und Herz,
• WO002003089789A2 , u.a. als Wärme- und Mikropumpe,
• WO002011163259A2 , u.a. als Wärmepumpe und Motor über eine Kurbelwelle,
• WO002017156371A1 , u.a. mit Kolben und Druck und Speicherung der mechanischen Energie.

There are some solutions based on the invention, for example:

• JP0000S5990777A , including a piston and freon in the cooling cycle,
• US000004325217A , among other things with a flask and cold and warm water,
• US000004434618A , including as a heat pump via a crankshaft,
• US000004646523A , e.g. as a heat and water pump,
• US000004938026A , e.g. as a heat pump and nitinol as a flexible spring on a gear wheel,
• US000011028836B2 , among other things with a piston and two media,
• US020060144048A1 , among other things with a piston and solar collector heat as well as magnetocaloric effect,
• WO001984004947A1 , heat into mechanical energy, among other things, with round wire for engines and ships,
• WO001986004960A1 , among other things with a linear motor and change between cold and hot bath,
• WO002000072783A1 , including pumps as a medical product for the spine and heart,
• WO002003089789A2 , e.g. as a heat and micro pump,
• WO002011163259A2 , including as a heat pump and motor via a crankshaft,
• WO002017156371A1 , including piston and pressure and storage of mechanical energy.

The existing solutions fulfill their function according to the circumstances or are still under development but do not have the possibilities of the above invention.

A solution that can be placed anywhere is desired and the invention of power and heat generation specified in protection claim 1 using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature meets these requirements.

• In 1 ist (nach Schutzanspruch 2) eine Maschine mit zwei miteinander verbundenen Kolben 3 dargestellt (über 6 verbunden), die sich parallel nach links und rechts bewegen. Zwei Nitinol Hohlfedern (1 und 2) sind mit der Trennwand und den Kolben verbunden. An den Enden der beiden Hohlfedern sind jeweils arbeitszyklusgesteuerte Ventile 4, die in der Trennwand und in beiden Kolben installiert sind. Das Nitinol hat eine niedrige Transformationstemperatur von z.B. 45° Celsius. Die Ventile lassen abwechselnd warmes Gas (z.B. Luft), das deutlich wärmer als die Transformationstemperatur ist, oder eine Flüssigkeit bzw. kaltes Gas (z.B. Umgebungsluft oder eine Flüssigkeit mit der gleichen Temperatur) in die Hohlfedern. Bei warmem Medium verkürzen sich mit großer Kraft die Hohlfedern, bei kaltem Medium kann die Hohlfeder durch die Verbindung mit dem anderen Kolben mit geringer Kraft in die Länge gezogen werden.

An example:

• In 1 is (according to protection claim 2) a machine with two interconnected Pistons 3 shown (connected via 6) moving left and right in parallel. Two nitinol hollow springs (1 and 2) are connected to the bulkhead and pistons. At the ends of the two hollow springs are duty cycle controlled valves 4 installed in the bulkhead and in both pistons. The nitinol has a low transformation temperature of eg 45° Celsius. The valves alternately let warm gas (eg air) that is significantly warmer than the transformation temperature or a liquid or cold gas (eg ambient air or a liquid with the same temperature) into the hollow springs. When the medium is warm, the hollow springs shorten with great force; when the medium is cold, the hollow spring can be lengthened with little force due to the connection with the other piston.

The work of the connected pistons can drive a generator and thereby produce electricity. This electricity can in turn operate a heat pump, which provides heating.

• Wie im Schutzanspruch 3 dargestellt sind verschiedene Formgedächtnismaterialien incl. Kunststoffe möglich.

Possible options are:

• As shown in claim 3, various shape-memory materials, including plastics, are possible.

Several springs and/or a toothed rack are conceivable according to protection claim 4.

As shown in claim 5, a combination with a flywheel is an option.

For the main heat generation (according to protection claim 6) only the necessary heat of the compressed gas for the shape memory alloys is used and the rest of the heat is dissipated directly to a heater via a heat exchanger. When the pressure is released, the air or liquid becomes cold and the shape memory spring can be extended without great force.

As set out in claim 7, the engine can be fitted with many pistons and also be operated with longer exposure to heat exchangers.

Two springs are combined (according to protection claim 8): one spring optimized for the generator drive, the second spring optimized for heat generation.

As described in claim 9, cold or hot magnetic liquids can be used, so that a magnet can be used to change the medium more quickly. According to protection claim 10, at the end of the working chamber there is a smaller recess into which only the spring and not the entire piston fits.

As shown in claim 11, the machine can work with air, other gases, water, other liquids or other heat carriers as the medium (in the case of liquids also with heat exchangers: air-water or gas-liquid heat exchangers). According to protection claim 12, nitinol or other shape-memory materials can work as a wire, spring, hollow spring, spring hose/hose spring/pipe/rod/rods or other components that pull together and pull apart.

As shown in protection claim 13, a rigid connection between two pistons or a flexible connection via deflection rollers or other connection is possible.

With an insulating ball can (according to protection claim 14) be worked in a tube or hollow spring, which separates cold and warm and, if necessary, pressure.

As shown in claim 15, a shape memory material spring can be used in a small surrounding cylinder or better in a hollow cylinder, so that only a little warm gas/warm liquid is needed for the transformation.

When using a hollow cylinder (according to protection claim 16), an insulating ring can be used instead of an insulating ball.

As shown in claim 17, a vertical arrangement of the machine can be advantageous, so that the insulating ball/ring automatically moves back.

According to protection claim 18, insulation made of flexible plastic foam can be attached around the hollow spring/spring hose or similar.

As described in claim 19, insulation of the part of the piston that is sometimes hot can be fundamentally advantageous.

According to protection claim 20, valves that are precisely duty cycle-controlled or time-controlled, also as a function of the pressure, are necessary.

As set out in claim 21, another option is heat storage for the shape memory alloys. These would include latent heat storage / phase change storage. Heat accumulators can be equipped with different materials (water, gravel, earth, steel, stone, lava rock, concrete, (liquid) salt, etc.) or as latent heat storage / chemical storage (e.g. sodium acetate, calcium hydroxide - calcium oxide). Likewise, according to protection claim 22, solar collectors and other heat sources, such as waste heat from industry, can be used with the shape memory alloys.

As shown in claim 23, standard technical alternatives to the piston can be used to compress the gas.

In 2 is shown according to protection claim 24 another construction with a piston that has two valves. Left and right are two walls of the support structure 5 with passage valves for cold gas / ambient air. If there is no external connection of the piston, magnets can be used or the induction principle can be used.

As set out in claim 25, in 3 a piston with a passage valve for cold gas / ambient air is shown as a further option. On the left is a thermal pressure reservoir 7 with an additional valve for cold gas / ambient air. On the right of the piston is a return spring 8 made of normal material, which lengthens the hollow nitinol spring below the transformation temperature.

Thus shape memory generators / modules can be used day and night. In the future, with optimized technology and new and cheaper materials, it should be even easier to generate electricity locally.

Reference List

(1)

contracted hollow spring above the transformation temperature

(2)

expanded hollow spring below the transformation temperature

(3)

Pistons

(4)

duty cycle controlled valve

(5)

support structure

(6)

rigid connection between two pistons

(7)

Heat and pressure reservoir

(8th)

Return spring, e.g. made of normal metal.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• JP0000S5990777A [0009]
• US000004325217A [0009]
• US000004434618A [0009]
• US000004646523A [0009]
• US000004938026A [0009]
• US000011028836 B2 [0009]
• US020060144048A1 [0009]
• WO 001984004947 A1 [0009]
• WO 001986004960 A1 [0009]
• WO 002000072783 A1 [0009]
• WO 002003089789 A2 [0009]
• WO 002011163259 A2 [0009]
• WO 002017156371 A1 [0009]

Claims (25)

Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, characterized in that gases are compressed by shape memory alloys above the transformation temperature. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature claim 1 , characterized in that a machine with two interconnected pistons work by one or more pistons. Two shape memory hollow springs are connected to the bulkhead of the support structure and the pistons. At the ends of the two hollow springs are duty cycle controlled valves installed in the bulkhead and in both pistons. The shape memory alloy has a low transformation temperature. The valves alternately let warm gas (eg air) that is significantly warmer than the transformation temperature or a liquid or cold gas (eg ambient air or a liquid with the same temperature) into the hollow springs. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that different shape memory materials/alloys including plastics can be used. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by utilizing the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several springs and/or one or more toothed racks are combined. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine works in combination with a flywheel. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that with a focus on heat generation only the necessary heat of the compressed gas for the shape memory alloys is used and the rest of the heat a heat exchanger is discharged directly to a heater. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine can work with many pistons and longer heat exchanger exposure. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two springs are combined: one spring optimized for the generator drive, the second spring optimized for heat generation. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that cold or hot magnetic liquids are used in combination with a magnet for changing the medium. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by utilizing the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at one end of the working chamber there is a smaller recess the size of the spring. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine works with air, other gases, water, other liquids or other heat carriers as the medium. In the case of liquids, heat exchangers are also installed: air-water heat exchangers or gas-liquid heat exchangers. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shape memory materials are in the form of wires, springs, hollow springs, spring hoses / hose springs / tubes / rods / rods or others together - and parts that are being pulled apart. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there is a rigid connection between two pistons or a flexible connection via deflection rollers or another connection is installed. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an insulating ball is used in a hollow spring/tube or similar. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape-memory alloys by utilizing the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a small surrounding cylinder or a hollow cylinder is used in the case of a shape-memory material spring. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when using a hollow cylinder, an insulating ring is used. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine is arranged vertically. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape-memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hollow spring/the spring hose has an insulation made of flexible plastic or foam. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by utilizing the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part of the bulb that is hot at times is insulated. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that exactly duty cycle controlled or time controlled valves are also installed depending on the pressure. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that heat storage for the shape memory alloys is installed. These would include latent heat storage / phase change storage. Heat accumulators can be equipped with different materials (water, gravel, earth, steel, stone, lava rock, concrete, (liquid) salt, etc.) or also designed as latent heat accumulators / chemical accumulators (e.g. sodium acetate, calcium hydroxide - calcium oxide). Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that solar collectors and other heat sources, eg waste heat from industry, are used for the shape memory alloys. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that conventional technical alternatives to the piston are used to compress the gas. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a piston is combined with two valves. Left and right are two walls of the support structure with passage valves for cold gas / ambient air. If there is no external connection of the piston, magnets can be used or the induction principle can be used. Electricity and heat generation using so-called shape memory alloys by using the ambient temperature, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a piston with a passage valve for cold gas / ambient air is installed. On one side is a thermal pressure reservoir with an additional valve for cold gas / ambient air. On the other side of the piston is a return spring made of normal material, which lengthens the shape memory hollow spring below the transformation temperature.

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