Refined Buoyancy Heat Engine for Glider Applications Using Structures with Negative Thermal Expansion Coefficients

Abstract

The scope of this effort will consist of investigation and testing of three temperature-gradient producedmorphing concepts. It will consist of a thermodynamic assessment of the system and a basic design ofan electrical energy production capability. A final (perhaps primary) objective is the education of a U.Scitizen graduate student in technology of interest to the U.S. Navy and the possibility of their acceptingpost-graduation employment at a Navy research lab or DoD UARC.An innovative concept for a passive buoyancy engine will be developed. This study will exploitoceanic thermoclines (the difference between the higher ocean surface temperatures and the lowertemperatures at depth) to drive a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) based Buoyancy Heat Engine (BHE).

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2016
Source ID
N000141612950

Entities

People

  • Timothy M Miller

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • United States Navy

Tags

Readers

  • Marine Propulsion Engineering and Naval Architecture
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • STEM Education

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy