Modeling of thin layer extensional thermoelectric SMA actuators (Q1282631)

As a first step towards the design of a high frequency, high force, large strain shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator, we model a thermoelectrically cooled thin SMA layer extensional actuator. The SMA is subjected to cyclic phase transition between the martensitic and austenitic phases by alternate heating/cooling, achieved with the thermoelectric Peltier effect of a pair of \(P/N\) semiconductors. We consider the effect of a variable actuating load and a constant load applied as boundary conditions to the SMA actuator. The evolution equations for the field variables are integrated using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, and the coupling between the fields is accounted for by implementing an iterative scheme.