Simulation study of shape memory alloys for elastocaloric application

Abstract

In recent years, the need for alternative cooling technologies has been in high demand due to increased electronic temperature and miniaturization of electronics. The present study discusses elastocaloric (eC) as a viable device that can solve the challenges of small-scale cooling applications. In the elastocaloric, the cyclic stress loading/unloading is applied to change the temperature. The analysis proceeds systematically to examine relevant parameters. Initially, modeling is conducted using the COMSOL Multiphysics software to explore the impact of various factors. Equation-based help estimate the elastocaloric effect. In the initial part, the results available in the literature are validated using a trapezoidal stress field. The stress field is applied quickly while the holding time is varied to check for when the material comes to normal temperature after loading and unloading. As a built-in elastocaloric module is unavailable, the current study uses the heat transfer equation available in heat transfer modules. The modeling has been discussed in detail. It is found that the stress magnitude, holding time, and operating temperature play a vital role in obtaining the maximum eC effect. Finally, an application is considered to cool a chip at an initial temperature of 313.15 K and generate a heat of 1 W, with dimensions of 15 mm x 15 mm x 2 mm. The results show that eC is more effective than traditional methods for cooling the same device. The study is insightful and paves the way for further exploration of the proposed eC devices for cooling automotive headlamps, inspiring future research and development in this field.