Power Mems and Microengines

Regime diagrams and characteristics of flame patterns in radial microchannels with temperature gradients

“…Experimental observations showed that a variety of flame patterns (see Figs. 1a-1i), such as stable and unstable circular flames, single, double, and triple pelton-like flames, traveling flames, broken flames, triple flames, and spiral flames, existed in those radial microchannels, which were somewhat similar to the configuration of the MIT micro gas turbine [12]. However, Kumar et al only reported the experimental results at the mixture equivalence ratios of 0.67 and 0.85, and thus current knowledge of flame pattern formations in those radial microchannels is limited.…”

Micro Magnetic Induction Machines for Portable Power Applications

“…The MIT Gas Turbine Engine Project [1] seeks to develop a millimeter-scale gas turbine engine generator that can produce tens of Watts of electrical power for portable general-purpose use. As part of that project, several induction generators are under development as the electromechanical energy converter.…”

“…First, as the torque and power targets for electromechanical energy conversion increase, so too will the size of the machines that perform the conversion. This increase is already sufficient for magnetic machines to be 1 Prepared through collaborative participation in the Power and Energy Consortium sponsored by the U. S. Army Research Laboratory under the Collaborative Technology Alliance Program, Cooperative Agreement DAAD19-01-2-0010. The U. S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation thereon.…”

“…Thus, it is important to develop magnetic induction machines as alternatives to electric induction machines. The development of micro magnetic induction machines for the applications described in [1] poses many challenges. First, the induction machines are fabricated primarily from thick magnetic cores of NiFe, and thick Cu conductors, for example.…”

“…This must be integrated with the silicon-based fabrication of the turbomachinery with which the machines cooperate. The introduction of the cores and conductors into the high-temperature applications described in [1] also poses materials and thermal management challenges. Second, eddy currents in the magnetic cores can result in greatly reduced torque and power, and can also lead to significant losses.…”