Micro Air Cycle System

I performed research on electrostatic heat exchange technology at a small start up, Sunyata Technologies. My job was to investigate the feasibility of integrating heat-actuated muscles to improve the coefficient of performance.

The Micro Air Cycle system uses electrostatic vanes to capture and compress air against a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger conducts the heat from the compressed air outside of the system. Then, the vanes open up to release the air, which provides a cooling effect. This technology could improve cooling in applications where a separate coolant fluid is not feasible.

I investigated the use of shape memory alloys, specifically nickel titanium, to utilize the heat in the compressed vane to improve coefficient of performance. When the nickel titanium alloy is heated up, it contracts and can provide an additional compressive force on the electrostatic vane. I created a simulation of the system using a multiphysics tool and created a theoretical justification for the benefits. My attempts to implement the system were not successful due to the difficulty in creating a perfectly sealing electrostatic vane.