초록 ▼

A valve actuator based on a conductive polymer gel is disclosed. A nonconductive housing is provided having two separate chambers separated by a porous frit. The conductive polymer is held in one chamber and an electrolyte solution, used as a source of charged ions, is held in the second chamber. Th

A valve actuator based on a conductive polymer gel is disclosed. A nonconductive housing is provided having two separate chambers separated by a porous frit. The conductive polymer is held in one chamber and an electrolyte solution, used as a source of charged ions, is held in the second chamber. The ends of the housing a sealed with a flexible elastomer. The polymer gel is further provide with electrodes with which to apply an electrical potential across the gel in order to initiate an oxidation reaction which in turn drives anions across the porous frit and into the polymer gel, swelling the volume of the gel and simultaneously contracting the volume of the electrolyte solution. Because the two end chambers are sealed the flexible elastomer expands or contracts with the chamber volume change. By manipulating the potential across the gel the motion of the elastomer can be controlled to act as a "gate" to open or close a fluid channel and thereby control flow through that channel.

대표청구항 ▼

A valve actuator based on a conductive polymer gel is disclosed. A nonconductive housing is provided having two separate chambers separated by a porous frit. The conductive polymer is held in one chamber and an electrolyte solution, used as a source of charged ions, is held in the second chamber. Th

A valve actuator based on a conductive polymer gel is disclosed. A nonconductive housing is provided having two separate chambers separated by a porous frit. The conductive polymer is held in one chamber and an electrolyte solution, used as a source of charged ions, is held in the second chamber. The ends of the housing a sealed with a flexible elastomer. The polymer gel is further provide with electrodes with which to apply an electrical potential across the gel in order to initiate an oxidation reaction which in turn drives anions across the porous frit and into the polymer gel, swelling the volume of the gel and simultaneously contracting the volume of the electrolyte solution. Because the two end chambers are sealed the flexible elastomer expands or contracts with the chamber volume change. By manipulating the potential across the gel the motion of the elastomer can be controlled to act as a "gate" to open or close a fluid channel and thereby control flow through that channel. y further comprises a turbine disk, said turbine blade and turbine disk being integrally connected to form a turbine blisk. 6. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein each said turbine blade assembly further comprises a turbine disk, said turbine blade and turbine disk being attached to each other. 7. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said turbine blade assembly further comprises a damper cavity cap for supporting said stranded wire cable. 8. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said turbine blade assembly further comprises a turbine disk, said turbine blade depending from said turbine disk, said damper cavity extending partially into said turbine disk. 9. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable is contained within said turbine blade damper cavity by a snug fit. 10. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said turbine blade damper cavity extends into said turbine blade from a distal end of said turbine blade opposite a turbine disk of said turbine blade assembly. 11. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said turbine blade assembly further comprises a turbine disk, said turbine blade depending from said turbine disk, said turbine blade damper cavity extending from an opening in said turbine disk into said turbine blade, thus allowing for the introduction of said stranded wire cable from the underside of said turbine blade. 12. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable comprises a plurality of strands of wire, energy being dissipated between adjacent strands of wire during operation. 13. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable comprises a plurality of strands of wire, said plurality of strands being in a range of about 10-25 strands. 14. The turbine blade assembly of claim 13, wherein each strand comprises a plurality of wires, said plurality of wires being in a range of about 5-10 wires. 15. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable is formed of steel wire. 16. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable is formed of a ferrous-based alloy. 17. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional blade damper cavity for supporting additional stranded wire cable. 18. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable comprises individual wires having diameters in a range of between about 0.010 and 0.040 inches. 19. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said stranded wire cable has a diameter in a range of between about 0.05 and 0.30 inches. 20. The turbine blade assembly of claim 1, wherein said turbine blade comprises additional damper cavities, each containing stranded wire cable to provide maximal utilization of the volume of said turbine blade. 21. The turbine blade assembly of claim 20, wherein a relatively large central damper cavity and two smaller adjacent cavities are used. 22. A turbine blade assembly for a turbine assembly, said turbine assembly being rotatable about a central axis, said turbine blade assembly, comprising: a) a turbine blade, having a turbine blade damper cavity formed therein, said turbine blade damper cavity extending into said turbine blade substantially along a longitudinal axis thereof, said longitudinal axis extending near radially outward from said central axis; and b) a stranded wire cable positioned within said turbine blade damper cavity parallel to said longitudinal axis of said turbine blade damper cavity, said stranded wire cable being contained within said turbine blade damper cavity during operation of the turbine blade assembly, wherein said stranded wire cable reduces vibration of the turbine blade assembly during operation by dissipating energy by friction between said stranded wire cable and said internal surface. 23. The turbine blade assembly of claim 22, wherein said turbine blade assembly further comprises a turbine dis