Charles A. Lachenbruch,David L. Ribble,Sandy M. Richards,Laetitia Gazagnes
申请号:
US14623852
公开号:
US09913770B2
申请日:
2015.02.17
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2018
代理人:
摘要:
One embodiment of a climate management topper includes a flowpath boundary which defines a flowpath adapted to carry a stream of fluid in a principal direction. A flow compliant filler occupies at least part of the flowpath. The filler includes a spacer and a set of shape change actuators (SCAs) each of which is made of a shape change material (SCM). The properties of the SCM include a critical temperature T0. The SCAs are configured to regulate distribution of the fluid stream through the flowpath in a direction transverse to the principal direction as a function of temperature. In one example the flowpath boundary is formed by liner panels and the SCAs are linear elements that elongate at a temperature TH which is higher than T0 thereby distending the spacer and reducing its resistance to fluid flow. One suitable shape change material is a nickel/titanium alloy known as NiTiNOL.