Design and Modeling Shape Memory Actuator for Offshore Applications

Abstract

The use of shape memory alloys (SMA) in smart sensors and actuators is already well established in many areas such as biomedical and aerospace engineering. Likewise, SMA’s have an enormous potential for offshore oil and gas applications. They can be used, for example, in active vibration control devices or in deep water valves as actuators. In this work, two different prototypes of SMA actuation valves are developed — a linear and rotate sliding sleeve. Several tests were performed to determine the maximum force, maximum displacement of the devices. In parallel, numerical simulations using constitutive model of shape memory alloy are carried out to capture the behaviour of SMA actuators under different thermo-mechanical loadings.