Torsion spring energy storage device

Should a torsion spring be used for energy storage?

The concept of using a torsion spring as a means of mechanical energy storage before the energy conversion to electricity has the substantial benefit of being able to directly capture and accumulate all input motion, even in the event of sudden impacts, and then convert this mechanical energy through a motor to provide a smoothed electrical output.

How does a tensioned torsion spring work?

The tensioned torsion springs can store elastic energy equivalent to up to 80 units of thermal energy; this energy can be maintained by locking the arm in position with a DNA duplex, formed by additional ssDNA extensions on the arm and base plate that can bind to each other.

Can mechanical spring systems be used for energy storage in elastic deformations?

Energy storage in elastic deformations in the mechanical domain offers an alternative to the electrical, electrochemical, chemical, and thermal energy storage approaches studied in the recent years. The present paper aims at giving an overview of mechanical spring systems’ potential for energy storage applications.

What are the functions of elastic storage device using spiral spring?

The principal functions of elastic storage device using spiral spring are energy storage and transfer in space and time. Elastic energy storage using spiral spring can realize the balance between energy supply and demand in many applications.

How much mechanical energy can be stored in a molecular torsion spring?

From this value, we further estimated the mechanical energy that can be stored in such a molecular torsion spring. For instance, when the joint is twisted by 3.8 turns, corresponding to half its median RoM at 200 V, an energy of 194 kJ mol −1 or 78 kBT (where kB is the Boltzmann constant) would be stored.

Can a torsion spring be used in wearable energy harvesting?

This design challenge has been investigated previously by Pritchard for use in wearable energy harvesting, where the cumulative energy from impacts due to footsteps was successfully captured and directly stored mechanically in a torsion spring before the conversion to electrical energy via an energy harvester.