Heat transfer and electromechanical analyses of electrostatically actuated blinds inside insulated glass

This dissertation presents the design development and performance analysis of a new window product---the Powerblind. Powerblinds are blinds that are permanently sealed between the panes of an insulated glass window, and the slats are rotated by electrostatic forces. A case history of the design development is discussed, followed by electromechanical and convective heat transfer analyses.;The design development case history concentrates on prototyping methods and design for assembly and manufacture issues. The latest rapid prototyping technologies were evaluated, but for the Powerblinds rapid prototyping was not the most efficient or the most cost effective solution. Instead, laser cutting and simple injection molding methods were used to create prototype parts for evaluation. Design for manufacture and assembly concerns were also taken into account. Good design practices were found to lower cost and production time not only in the final production of Powerblinds, but also in the manufacture of prototype parts.;The electromechanical analysis of the Powerblind consists of an electrostatic analysis that predicts the electrostatic charge build-up on the slats and the insulated glass, followed by a static analysis of the slats that predicts slat angles as a function of applied voltages. The predictions determined from this electromechanical analysis are shown to agree with experimental results within measurement errors.;The thermal analysis of the Powerblind considers convective heat transfer across the insulated glass airspace. The air flow and the temperature distribution within the airspace are examined in order to learn how the flow of air in the airspace effects the heat transferred across the airspace. The thermal analysis showed that the introduction of blinds in the airspace, in the cases considered, reduced the heat transfer across the airspace when the slats were closed, and increased the heat transfer across the air space when the slats were open. This dissertation suggests that the primary heat transfer advantage of the Powerblind is attributed to ease of operation---whether passive or active.