Experimental evaluation of the efficiency of a pneumatic strain energy accumulator

Authors

  • Joshua J. Cummins Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
  • Seth Thomas Applied Physics, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1006-1731
  • Christophe J. Nasha Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1504-8563
  • Sankaran Mahadevan cCivil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1969-2388
  • Douglas E. Adams Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
  • Eric J. Barth Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA and Laboratory for the Design and Control of Energetic Systems (DCES), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7462-3417

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1080/14399776.2017.1335141

Keywords:

energy saving, pneumatic, uncertainty analysis, efficiency, Strain energy accumulator

Abstract

There is heightened interest in research to develop materials and devices that achieve greater energy storage capacity, power density and increased energy efficiency. This work analyses the performance of a novel energy storage device, the pneumatic strain energy accumulator (pSEA), which is designed to exploit the advantageous aspects of the non-linear behaviour of elastomeric materials. An analytical method for simultaneously characterising the pneumatic energy and strain energy stored in a strain energy accumulator (SEA), and more generally for pneumatic and strain energy systems, has been employed. Component efficiency along with the expansion and contraction pressures of the pSEA are determined experimentally so thata system level efficiency calculation can be performed. Incorporating uncertainty analysis, theefficiencies of the SEA are measured to be consistently over 93% in over 800 cycles of testing.The steady-state expansion and contraction pressures of the accumulator have steady-state values with errors of less than 3 hundredths of a kilopascal from their means.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Joshua J. Cummins, Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

Joshua J. Cummins received his BSME and MSME from Purdue University in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Cummins worked as a Rotary Wing Structures Engineer in the Airframe Technology branch of the Naval Air Systems Command from 2010 to 2013. Cummins resumed graduate studies in Fall 2013 at Vanderbilt University as a graduate research assistant at the Laboratory for Systems Integrity and Reliability (LASIR) where he expects to complete his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in May 2016.

Seth Thomas, Applied Physics, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, USA

Seth Thomas received his BA in International Studies and Writing from the University of Central Arkansas in 2008. After serving in the Peace Corps from 2011 to 2013 and motivated by his experiences during his time there, Seth made a career change and returned to the University of Central Arkansas to pursue a BS in Applied Physics where he expects to graduate in May 2016. Seth plans to start graduate studies in Engineering in Fall 2016.

Christophe J. Nasha, Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

Christopher J. Nash expects to receive his BS in Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Materials Science Engineering, in May 2016 from Vanderbilt University. Chris is currently an undergraduate research assistant in the Laboratory for the Design and Control of Energetic Systems (DCES) and the Laboratory for Systems Integrity and Reliability (LASIR) at Vanderbilt University. Chris plans to start graduate studies in Fall 2016.

Sankaran Mahadevan, cCivil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

Sankaran Mahadevan received his BS from the Indian Institute of Technology, his MS from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology all in the area of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Mahadevan is currently the John R Murray Sr. Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University. Mahadevan’s research interests include reliability and uncertainty analysis methods, material degradation, structural health monitoring, design optimisation, and model uncertainty for civil, mechanical and aerospace systems.

Douglas E. Adams, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

Douglas E. Adams received his BSME from the University of Cincinnati, MSME from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and PhD from the University of Cincinnati. Adams is currently the Daniel F. Flowers Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Adams research interests include nonlinear structural dynamics and vibrations, structural health monitoring/diagnostics and damage prognosis, and noise and vibration control in the areas of aerospace, automotive, energy, and defence systems.

Eric J. Barth, Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA and Laboratory for the Design and Control of Energetic Systems (DCES), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA

Eric J. Barth received his BS degree in engineering physics from the University of California at Berkeley, and his MS and PhD degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Mechanical Engineering. Barth is currently an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University. Barth’s research interests include design, modelling and control of fluid power systems, and actuator development for autonomous robots.

References

ASTM, 2011. ASTM D4482-11, Test method for rubber

property – extension cycling fatigue. West Conshohocken,

PA: ASTM International. doi:10.1520/D4482-11.

Boes, M.K., et al., 2013. Fuel efficiency of a portable powered

ankle-foot orthosis. In: Proceedings of the IEEE 13th

international conference on rehabilitation robotics (ICORR

, 24–26 June Seattle, WA, 1–6.

Cadwell, S.M., et al., 1940. Dynamic fatigue life of rubber.

Industrial and engineering chemistry, 12, 19–23.

Cummins, J.J., Barth, E.J. and Adams, D.E., 2015. Modeling

of a pneumatic strain energy accumulator for variable

system configurations with quantified projections of

energy efficiency increases. In: Proceedings of the 2015

Bath/ASME symposium on fluid power and motion control,

October Chicago, IL. New York, NY: American Society

of Mechanical Engineers, V001T01A055–8.

Dick, J.S., 2009. Rubber technology compounding and

testing for performance. 2nd ed. Cincinnati, OH: Hanser

Publications.

Gent, A.N., 1978. Rubber elasticity: basic concepts and

behavior. In: F.R. Eirich, ed. Science and technology of

rubber. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Academic Press, 1–21.

Gent, A.N., 2005. Elastic instabilities in rubber. International

journal of non-linear mechanics, 40, 165–175.

de Giorgi, R., et al., 2008. Thermal model of a tank for

simulation and mass flow rate characterization purposes.

In: Proceedings of the 7th JFPS international symposium on

fluid power, 15–18 September Toyama, JA, 226–230.

Haldar, A. and Mahadevan, S., 2000. Probability, reliability

and statistical methods in engineering design. New York,

NY: Wiley.

Harris, P., O’Donnell, G.E. and Whelan, T., 2012. Energy

efficiency in pneumatic production systems: state of the

art and future directions. In: D. Dornfeld, and B. Linke,

eds. Proceedings of the 19th CIRP international conference

on life cycle engineering, 23–25 May Berkeley, CA: Springer

Science & Business Media, Heidelberg, 363–368.

Igarashi, K., Kawashima, K. and Kagawa, T., 2007.

Development of simultaneous measurement system for

instantaneous density, viscosity and flow rate of gases.

Sensors and actuators A, 140, 1–7.

Love, L.J., Lanke, E. and Alles, P., 2012. Estimating the impact

(energy, emissions and economics) of the U.S. fluid power

industry. Oak Ridge, TN: Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Mullins, L., 1948. Effect of stretching on the properties of

rubber. Rubber chemistry and technology, 21, 281–300.

Pedchenko, A. and Barth, E.J., 2009. Design and validation

of a high energy density elastic accumulator using

polyurethane. In: Proceedings of the 2009 ASME dynamic

systems and control conference, 12–14 October 2009

Hollywood, CA, New York, NY: American Society of

Mechanical Engineers, 283–290.

Tucker, J., 2012. Design and experimental evaluation of a

high energy density elastomeric strain energy accumulator.

Thesis (MS). Vanderbilt University.

Downloads

Published

2017-11-01

How to Cite

Cummins, J. J., Thomas, S., Nasha, C. J., Mahadevan, S., Adams, D. E., & Barth, E. J. (2017). Experimental evaluation of the efficiency of a pneumatic strain energy accumulator. International Journal of Fluid Power, 18(3), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/14399776.2017.1335141

Issue

2017: Vol 18 Iss 3

Section

Original Article