Use of Shape Memory Alloys as Smart Materials to

Harvest Energy Powered by Renewable Energy

Resources
Hakan Yunus Ayırga Nagihan Kutucu, Ümit Kemalettin Terzi
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, Institute Electrical-Electronics Engineering Department, Faculty of
of Pure and Applied Sciences, Marmara University Technology, Marmara University
Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul, Turkey
hakanyunusayirga@marun.edu.tr nagihankutucu@marun.edu.tr, terzi@marmara.edu.tr

Abstract— This paper will study heat engines driven by smart

metals also named as Shape Memory Alloys (SMA). It presents
studies on contribution to energy production by heat engines
driven by SMA using underground thermal water, secondary
heat resources of combined cycle natural gas power plants and
renewable energy resources. It also studies SMA heat engines
with regards to energy conversion.

Index Terms-- Smart materials, Shape memory alloys, Heat

engines, Renewable energy sources.

I. INTRODUCTION
Shape Memory Alloys are called smart metals due to their
nature to be able to move when heated. Their deformed
geometry reacts under heat to return to its original shape and
this reaction generates mechanical energy [1]-[5].
Heat engines are built using mechanisms formed by Figure 1. Phase transformation of SMA
antagonistically located Shape memory alloys. Shafts of heat
engines generate mechanical energy when heat and cold are Fig. 2 shows the reaction of SMA spring under different
applied to SMA [2], [5]-[9]. Renewable energy resources can temperatures.
be used to provide heat and cold temperatures [10]-[12].
A. Shape Memory Alloys
Shape memory alloys can be described as materials that
can regain its original form under heat application to their
deformed geometries. Shape memory alloys were first
discovered in 1960’s. They have been used for a production of
medical stands and orthodontic teeth wires. During the last
decade, SMAs have been used for designing motion systems
derived from their nature to regain original shape. When we
study SMA actuators’ history, we can see that it has a
potential for development. Most commonly used SMA is
nitinol. Nitinol is made of 50% nickel and 50% titanium.
Transformation to original form takes place as a result of
martensite and austenite phase formations occurring in their Figure 2. The reaction by SMA under different temperatures.
crystal structure as shown in Fig. 1 [1].
B. Renewable Energy Resources
There is a lot of research in scientific World to use energy
resources more efficiently since energy sources are limited.

978-1-5090-5938-6/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE

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Energy is generated by using solar power, underground
thermal resources, secondary water of natural gas combined
cycle power plants and various heat sources with temperatures
between 55˚C-85˚C. This energy then can be used as auxiliary
power for energy networks [10]-[13].
C. SMA Heat Engine
When high and low temperatures are applied to pre-
specified sections of Mechanical systems built with
antagonistically located SMA, the shaft of mechanism begins
rotating and generates electricity. SMA heat machines have
different types such as crank engines, pulley engines and field
engines. All heat machines transform the thermal energy from
(c)
hot and cold temperatures into mechanical energy through a
rotation shaft [7]-[9], [13]-[15].
Figure 3. Crank type heat engines
D. Applied Heat Engine Types
Different types of heat engines using SMA are as follows; 2) Pulley Type Heat Engines
1) Crank Type Heat Engines Pulley type heat engines use a continuous belt of SMA
wire to drive the mechanism with two different size pulleys.
The most common heat engines are the Crank Type Heat Depending on the design, the lower or higher pulley can be
Engines. Crank type engines operate by converting the used as energy outlet point. One of the pulleys of the engine is
reciprocating motion of an SMA spring into a continuous in hot phase while the other is in cold. The part of the wire in
rotation with the spring connect to the output shaft. The hot phase expands and moved towards the other phase
actuator springs are trained to form extensions. Some types of initiating rotation. Heated section of the SMA wire then
crank engines use a flywheel to rotate the crank through the moves into cold phase while the part of the wire in cold phase
engines limit positions. Examples of crank engines can be moves to the hot phase. This continuous movement generates
seen in Fig. 3(a), Fig. 3(b) and Fig. 3(c) [7]. mechanical energy. A pulley type heat engine can be seen in
Fig. 4.
There is also different type of pulley heat engine with three
pulleys where one of the pulleys is located in hot water while
a second is in cold water. These types of heat engines require
two different shape memory alloys. Three pulley heat engine
can be seen in Fig. 5 [7].

(a)

Figure 4. Two pulley heat engine

(b)

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Figure 5. Three pulley heat engine
3) Field Type Heat Engines
Field type heat engines are built by installing SMA wire or
spring around a wheel and gravitational or magnetic field.
These machines have weights attached along the SMA wire. A
section of the wire loop is heated which leads to contraction
increasing the density in that area. The denser section is then
drawn towards the force field creating a rotation. Fig. 6 shows
field type heat engine with a magnetic field. Fig. 7 shows field
type heat engine with gravitational field [7].
Figure 6. Field type heat engine with magnetic field
Figure 7. Field type heat engine with gravitational field
II. USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR DESIGN OF SMA
DRIVEN HEAT ENGINES
SMAs move in reaction to heat. They need a cooling
source with temperature between10C-25C. For heating, they
need a heating source with a temperature between 55C -
85C. Using renewable energy resources will significantly
reduce the cost of required energy. For heating, it is possible
to use solar energy, thermal energy and secondary heating
outputs of natural gas combined cycle power plants with a
temperature between 55C -85C. Fig. 8 shows use of solar
power for a pulley type heat engine [8].
Figure 8. Use of solar power for a pulley type heat engine
Simple design of SMA heat engines makes the application
of renewable energy easier.
It is possible to change top and bottom temperature values
required to apply to SMAs by mixing 0.01% to 2% silicium or
similar metals in the alloy [1]. Renewable energy resources
have different temperatures [10]-[12]. Active parts of heat
engines powered by renewable resources are Shape Memory
Alloys. SMAs can have contents with varying proportions of
ingredients [13]-[15]. Different type SMA heat machines can
be fueled by different heat sources. It is possible to design
SMA heat engines depending on available heating/cooling
resources.
III. POWER EQUATIONS FOR PULLEY TYPE SMA HEAT
ENGINES
Basic pulley type heat engines have two different heat
sections, namely hot and cold sections. Power output of the
heat engine is derived from the cold pulley. Fig. 9 shows
principal points of torque, force, temperature and wheel’s
radius of pulley type heat engine. SMA wire reaches top
temperature at point two and gradually loses heat as it travels
towards point three. On its way from point 3 to point 4 it
continuous to cool and its tension reduces. It continuous to
radiate heat as it travels from point 4 to point 1. SMA reaches
its coolest temperature hence lowest tension at point 1. It is
then heated at point 1 and its tension again rises. This cycle
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continuous as long as the heat engine is powered by heat Since the cross-sectional second-order moment of the
sources [7], [8], [15], [16]. SMA belt is I = (bh3)/12 (b: width, h: thickness), above
equation becomes

(8)

SMA engines’ output P (W) is derived from the SMA belt

cross-sectional dimensions (b, h) and the wheel size (r, R)
[16].
IV. ENERGY CONVERSION PRINCIPLES OF SMA HEAT
ENGINES
SMA heat engines are powered by high and low-
temperature heat sources and generate mechanical energy.
Application of heat changes the tension on SMA which leads
to a motion. Energy released by this motion leads to change in
shape of SMA in the opposite cold phase. Thus rotation begins
in the mechanical system.
Figure 9. Torque generation mechanism of SMA engine The system requires both high and low-temperature heat
sources. Energy conversion diagram of SMA heat engine is
M is the torque in point 2 of engine shown in Fig. 9. E1 is given in Fig. 10.
Young’s modulus and I is the cross-sectional second-order
moment of the SMA.
E1 I
M (1)
r
Input torque of the hot pulley is equal to output torque as
can be seen in (2).
M  Mh (2)

Mh is the torque of high-temperature wheel and is

formulated at (3). ML is the torque of low-temperature Wheel
and is formulated at (4).
M h  r ( F2  F1 ) (3)
Figure 10. Energy conversion diagram of SMA heat engine
M L  R( F2  F1 ) (4)
In Fig. 10, Psw is source of high temperature, Psc is source
Equation 5 gives us the calculated torque of the cold of cold temperature, Pai is antagonistic inner power, PL is
phase. mechanic loss of the heat engine and Po is output power.
E1 RI Psw + Psc → Pai + PL + Po (9)
ML  (5)
r2 V. CONCLUSION
Power is generated through cold wheel. ω is the angular Part of the energy generated by heat engine becomes
speed of output wheel. The equation for shaft output is given power output through the shaft while part of it is used to
by (6). stretch the opposite SMA. It is possible to develop heat
engines with higher power output by using different locations
P  M L (6) for SMAs in designs of new heat engines.
By using shaft output in place of torque in the equation, we As a result, it is possible to generate clean and
obtain (7). environmentally friendly mechanical energy by using
renewable energy resources to power SMA heat engines. The
RE1 fact that renewable energy resources with temperature levels
P I (7) between 55C - 85C are abundant, it can be estimated that
r2 SMA heat engines will be more commonly used in energy
generation in the future.

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 SMA heat engines can be used to harvest energy through
generators connected to their shafts and supply power to
national grid. SMA heat engines can constitute alternative
energy sources without exploiting natural resources or
creating any waste.
Metals used in production of SMAs, nickel and titanium
are corrosion resistant and can be used with geothermal,
chloride or other hydro resources.
Although metals used in production of SMA are
expensive, they constitute a small portion of the engine as
wires or springs. It can be evaluated that SMA heat engines
can be environmentally friendly and cost effective in term of
price benefit ratio.
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