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Modeling and Design Optimization of a Biomorph-driven Rotary Motor

A bimorph-driven rotary motor has been developed, and demonstrated in a flow-control actuation application. A rotary (roller) clutch rectifies bimorph-powered oscillation into rotational motion to convert electrical to mechanical power. Through a progression of varied designs, the development process was based on experimentation and engineering intuition. The resulting motor satisfied the application requirements, and thirty-two actuators were supplied. To further exploit the possibilities of the bimorph-driven motor concept, a mathematical model was developed. Using empirical data collected from a prototype actuator and a roller clutch, the mathematical model was adjusted so that it predicted the power output of the prototype. The model was then used to tune the design parameters using non-linear optimization techniques. The results predicted that the power density could be increased by more than 30 times. An improved prototype based on the optimization results demonstrated a significant performance improvement over the original design. Though the predicted improvement was not achieved, the power density was increased by a factor of 10.