Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brown University

Kenneth S Breuer

Martin Arnold Schmidt

Jeffrey Hastings Lang

Stephen D Senturia

Alan H Epstein

Stuart A Jacobson

Steven F Nagle

Fredric F Ehrich

Ian A Waitz

Mark S Spearing

G K Ananthasuresh

Shreyas Mandre

Daegyoum Kim

Benjamin Strom

Jillian R Bohnker

Michael Miller

Jennifer Franck

A method includes simultaneously controlling and sensing aerodynamic loading of a membrane wing using a capacitance of the membrane, the membrane wing stretching under aerodynamic load, leading to thinning of a membrane thickness and increased capacitance, and using knowledge of the membrane's elastic and dielectric material properties to determine an amount of steady aerodynamic lift being generated.

Sensing and control of flows over membrane wings

The present invention provides a system for engaging a fluid flow. The system comprising one or more foil members operationally connected to a feedback control loop system. In one embodiment, the foil member is a hydrofoil member or an airfoil member. The foil members are configured for one or more degrees of freedom of oscillatory movement within the fluid flow. The feedback control loop system comprises a sensor system, actuator system, and a controller system. The feedback control loop system configured for actuating the foil members and thereby optimizing the operation of the foil members to attain one or more optimization objectives. In operation, the foil members are situated in the fluid flow and are manipulated to attain one or more optimization objectives.

Kinetic energy harvesting using cyber-physical systems

The invention overcomes limitations of conventional power and thermodynamic sources by with micromachinery components that enable production of significant power and efficient operation of thermodynamic systems in the millimeter and micron regime to meet the efficiency, mobility, modularity, weight, and cost requirements of many modern applications. A micromachine of the invention has a rotor disk journalled for rotation in a stationary structure by a journal bearing. A plurality of radial flow rotor blades, substantially untapered in height, are disposed on a first rotor disk face, and an electrically conducting region is disposed on a rotor disk face. A plurality of stator electrodes that are electrically interconnected to define multiple electrical stator phases are disposed on a wall of the stationary structure located opposite the electrically conducting region of the rotor disk. A first orifice in the stationary structure provides fluidic communication with the first rotor disk face at a location radially central of the rotor blades, and a second orifice in the stationary structure provides fluidic communication with the first rotor disk face at a location radially peripheral of the rotor blades. An electrical connection to the stator electrode configuration is provided for stator electrode excitation and for power transfer with the stator electrode configuration as the rotor disk rotates.

Microturbomachinery

The invention provides a micro-gas turbine engine and associated microcomponentry. The engine components, including, e.g., a compressor, a diffuser having diffuser vanes, a combustion chamber, turbine guide vanes, and a turbine are each manufactured by, e.g., microfabrication techniques, of a structural material common to all of the elements, e.g., a microelectronic material such as silicon or silicon carbide. Vapor deposition techniques, as well as bulk wafer etching techniques, can be employed to produce the engine. The engine includes a rotor having a shaft with a substantially untapered compressor disk on a first end, defining a centrifugal compressor, and a substantially untapered turbine disk on the opposite end, defining a radial inflow turbine. The rotor is preferably formed of a material characterized by a strength-to-density ratio that enables a rotor speed of at least about 500,000 rotations per minute. An annular, axial-flow combustion chamber is provided that is located axially between the compressor and turbine disks and that has a ratio of annular height to axial length of at least about 0.5. The micro-gas turbine engine can be configured with an integral microgenerator as a source of electrical power, and can be employed for a wide range of power, propulsion, and thermodynamic cycle applications.

Growing community of inventors

Newton, MA, United States of America

Kenneth S Breuer