Four pistons, laser flash for thermic nitinol

Is it really strong enough to drive an engine? What's the plan? The laser heats the wire to straighten it pushing the piston up?  How does it cool the wire quickly enough to return to the coiled position?  How many cycles before the wire breaks?

 

I guess it is just a drawing and not a working device though, yea? 

How much torque is expected from a 1W laser? Anyway; the setup heats all the springs at the same time, so the engine stalls, what's the purpose?

 

Just now, Ghideon said:

How much torque is expected from a 1W laser? Anyway; the setup heats all the springs at the same time, so the engine stalls...

Being fair - the laser is only there to raise the Nitinol above it's activation temperature for molecular rearrangement. The laser could hit each spring respectively at the right time if aimed and timed right. I was wondering how the spring was cooled fast enough with enough precision to return it to a spring.

Devices on the internet are pretty rudimentary compared to this diagram in the OP (apart from the obvious hoaxes).

 

 

 

4 hours ago, DrP said:

the laser is only there to raise the Nitinol above it's activation temperature for molecular rearrangement

Cool! Thanks, I did not know Nitinol worked like that. I need to do some studying, or phrase my concerns better

I believed the pistons had to compress the springs again once the springs were cooled. And since the only source of energy I can see in the image is the 1W laser* I believed that 1W is the maximum amount of power the engine could theoretically generate. 

Maybe OP will return to clarify?

 

*) or maybe there are two 1W lasers if the left one is identical. 

Edited October 25, 20187 yr by Ghideon
clarified last sentence

I don't see the point of it. You need electrical energy for the laser. You might as well just have an electric motor.

Does this engine system is existing right now in some machinery or engineers are engaged in research for this?

Because, seeing this scheme, most of the engine things seems impossible or too expensive and irrational. But it would be great to get some detailed information about this innovation.