Importance

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Abstract

A variable buoyance engine includes a pressure vessel, a reservoir, an external bladder, a non-compressible fluid inside the reservoir and the external bladder, and a drive system. The drive system includes a shape memory alloy actuator, a piston attached to the actuator, a power source connected to the actuator, and a controller configured to control application of power to the actuator. The power source is configured to cause the actuator to change temperature and deform when power is applied to the actuator thereby moving the piston from a first position to a second position. The reservoir and external bladder are configured to retain, without leakage, the non-compressible working fluid. The external bladder is configured to receive the non-compressible working fluid from the reservoir when the actuator moves the piston from a first position to a second position to create a second, positive buoyancy state and to expel the non-compressible working fluid from the external bladder to the reservoir when the actuator moves the piston from the second position to the first position to create a first, negative buoyancy state.

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First Claim