Efficient Energy Harvesting Using Piezoelectric Compliant Mechanisms: Theory and Experiment

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaokun Ma ◽  
Andrew Wilson ◽  
Christopher D. Rahn ◽  
Susan Trolier-McKinstry
Keyword(s):  
Compliant Mechanisms ◽  
Compliant Mechanism ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Human Movement ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Rigid Frame ◽  
High Power Output ◽  
Piezoelectric Unimorph ◽  
Low Amplitude

Piezoelectric energy harvesters typically perform poorly in the low frequency, low amplitude, and intermittent excitation environment of human movement. In this paper, a piezoelectric compliant mechanism (PCM) energy harvester is designed that consists of a polyvinylidene diflouoride (PVDF) unimorph clamped at the base and attached to a compliant mechanism at the tip. The compliant mechanism has two flexures that amplify the tip displacement to produce large motion of a proof mass and a low frequency first mode with an efficient (nearly quadratic) shape. The compliant mechanism is fabricated as a separate, relatively rigid frame with flexure hinges, simplifying the fabrication process, and surrounding and protecting the piezoelectric unimorph. The bridge structure of the PCM also self-limits the response to large amplitude impacts, improving the device robustness. Experiments show that the compliant hinge stiffness can be carefully tuned to approach the theoretical high power output and mode shape efficiency.

Efficient and Sensitive Energy Harvesting Using Piezoelectric MEMS Compliant Mechanisms

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaokun Ma ◽  
Hong Goo Yeo ◽  
Christopher D. Rahn ◽  
Susan Trolier-McKinstry
Keyword(s):  
Proof Mass ◽  
Compliant Mechanisms ◽  
Compliant Mechanism ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Human Movement ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Rigid Frame ◽  
The Time Domain

Piezoelectric energy harvesters typically perform poorly in the low frequency, low amplitude, and intermittent excitation environment of human movement. In this paper, a piezoelectric compliant mechanism (PCM) energy harvester is designed, modeled, and analyzed that consists of a PZT unimorph clamped at the base and attached to a compliant mechanism at the tip. The compliant mechanism has two flexures that amplify the tip displacement to produce large motion of a proof mass and a low frequency first mode with an efficient (nearly quadratic) shape. The compliant mechanism is fabricated as a separate, relatively rigid frame with flexure hinges, simplifying the fabrication process and surrounding and protecting the PZT unimorph. The bridge structure of the PCM also introduces an axial tensioning nonlinearity that self-limits the response to large amplitude impacts, improving the robustness of the device. Comparing the time domain performance based on realistic wrist acceleration data, the PCM produces 6 times more average power than a proof mass cantilever with the same unimorph area and natural frequency.

Heartbeat Energy Harvesting Using the Fan-Folded Piezoelectric Beam Geometry

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Ansari ◽  
M. Amin Karami
Keyword(s):  
Natural Frequency ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Mode Shapes ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvester ◽  
Mechanical Coupling ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Beam

A three dimensional piezoelectric vibration energy harvester is designed to generate electricity from heartbeat vibrations. The device consists of several bimorph piezoelectric beams stacked on top of each other. These horizontal bimorph beams are connected to each other by rigid vertical beams making a fan-folded geometry. One end of the design is clamped and the other end is free. One major problem in micro-scale piezoelectric energy harvesters is their high natural frequency. The same challenge is faced in development of a compact vibration energy harvester for the low frequency heartbeat vibrations. One way to decrease the natural frequency is to increase the length of the bimorph beam. This approach is not usually practical due to size limitations. By utilizing the fan-folded geometry, the natural frequency is decreased while the size constraints are observed. The required size limit of the energy harvester is 1 cm by 1 cm by 1 cm. In this paper, the natural frequencies and mode shapes of fan-folded energy harvesters are analytically derived. The electro-mechanical coupling has been included in the model for the piezoelectric beam. The design criteria for the device are discussed.

A Novel Multi-Directional Nonlinear Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Coupled With Nonlinear Conditioning Circuits

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhengbao Yang ◽  
Jean Zu
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Elastic Rods ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
High Power Output ◽  
Transduction Mechanisms ◽  
Self Powered ◽  
Aluminum Plates

Energy harvesting from vibrations has become, in recent years, a recurring target of a quantity of research to achieve self-powered operation of low-power electronic devices. However, most of energy harvesters developed to date, regardless of different transduction mechanisms and various structures, are designed to capture vibration energy from single predetermined direction. To overcome the problem of the unidirectional sensitivity, we proposed a novel multi-directional nonlinear energy harvester using piezoelectric materials. The harvester consists of a flexural center (one PZT plate sandwiched by two bow-shaped aluminum plates) and a pair of elastic rods. Base vibration is amplified and transferred to the flexural center by the elastic rods and then converted to electrical energy via the piezoelectric effect. A prototype was fabricated and experimentally compared with traditional cantilevered piezoelectric energy harvester. Following that, a nonlinear conditioning circuit (self-powered SSHI) was analyzed and adopted to improve the performance. Experimental results shows that the proposed energy harvester has the capability of generating power constantly when the excitation direction is changed in 360. It also exhibits a wide frequency bandwidth and a high power output which is further improved by the nonlinear circuit.

scholarly journals Performance Enhancement of a Multiresonant Piezoelectric Energy Harvester for Low Frequency Vibrations

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 2770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iman Izadgoshasb ◽  
Yee Lim ◽  
Ricardo Vasquez Padilla ◽  
Mohammadreza Sedighi ◽  
Jeremy Novak
Keyword(s):  
Cantilever Beam ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Vibration Source ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Low Frequency Vibration ◽  
External Power Source

Harvesting electricity from low frequency vibration sources such as human motions using piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEH) is attracting the attention of many researchers in recent years. The energy harvested can potentially power portable electronic devices as well as some medical devices without the need of an external power source. For this purpose, the piezoelectric patch is often mechanically attached to a cantilever beam, such that the resonance frequency is predominantly governed by the cantilever beam. To increase the power generated from vibration sources with varying frequency, a multiresonant PEH (MRPEH) is often used. In this study, an attempt is made to enhance the performance of MRPEH with the use of a cantilever beam of optimised shape, i.e., a cantilever beam with two triangular branches. The performance is further enhanced through optimising the design of the proposed MRPEH to suit the frequency range of the targeted vibration source. A series of parametric studies were first carried out using finite-element analysis to provide in-depth understanding of the effect of each design parameters on the power output at a low frequency vibration. Selected outcomes were then experimentally verified. An optimised design was finally proposed. The results demonstrate that, with the use of a properly designed MRPEH, broadband energy harvesting is achievable and the efficiency of the PEH system can be significantly increased.

Modeling and Performance Enhancement of Low-Frequency Energy Harvesters

2018 ◽  
pp. 826-862
Author(s):  
Abdessattar Abdelkefi
Keyword(s):  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
And Performance

There exist numerous low-frequency excitation sources, such as walking, breathing, and ocean waves, capable of providing viable amounts of mechanical energy to power many critical devices, including pacemakers, cell phones, MEMS devices, wireless sensors, and actuators. Harvesting significant energy levels from such sources can only be achieved through the design of devices capable of performing effective energy transfer mechanisms over low frequencies. In this chapter, two concepts of efficient low-frequency piezoelectric energy harvesters are presented, namely, variable-shaped piezoelectric energy harvesters and piezomagnetoelastic energy harvesters. Linear and nonlinear electromechanical models are developed and validated in this chapter. The results show that the quadratic shape can yield up to two times the energy harvested by a rectangular one. It is also demonstrated that depending on the available excitation frequency, an enhanced energy harvester can be tuned and optimized by changing the length of the piezoelectric material or by changing the distance between the two tip magnets.

scholarly journals PVDF-TrFE Electroactive Polymer Mechanical-to-Electrical Energy Harvesting Experimental Bimorph Structure

MRS Advances ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (56) ◽  
pp. 3441-3446 ◽  
Author(s):  
William G. Kaval ◽  
Robert A. Lake ◽  
Ronald A. Coutu
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Vibrational Energy ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Human Movement ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Mechanical Analysis ◽  
Electroactive Polymer ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy

ABSTRACTResearch of electrostrictive polymers has generated new opportunities for harvesting energy from the surrounding environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Electroactive polymer (EAP) research is one of the new opportunities for harvesting energy from the natural environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Piezoelectric ceramic based energy harvesting devices tend to be unsuitable for low-frequency mechanical excitations such as human movement. Organic polymers are typically softer and more flexible therefore translated electrical energy output is considerably higher under the same mechanical force. In addition, cantilever geometry is one of the most used structures in piezoelectric energy harvesters, especially for mechanical energy harvesting from vibrations. In order to further lower the resonance frequency of the cantilever microstructure, a proof mass can be attached to the free end of the cantilever. Mechanical analysis of an experimental bimorph structure was provided and led to key design rules for post-processing steps to control the performance of the energy harvester. In this work, methods of materials processing and the mechanical to electrical conversion of vibrational energy into usable energy were investigated. Materials such as polyvinyledenedifluoridetetra-fluoroethylene P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer films (1um thick or less) were evaluated and presented a large relative permittivity and greater piezoelectric β-phase without stretching. Further investigations will be used to identify suitable micro-electromechanical systems (MEMs) structures given specific types of low-frequency mechanical excitations (10-100Hz).

Nonlinear Characteristics for Rotatable Magnetically Coupling Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junyi Cao ◽  
Shengxi Zhou ◽  
Daniel J. Inman
Keyword(s):  
Inclination Angle ◽  
Nonlinear Dynamic ◽  
Magnetic Force ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Nonlinear Characteristics ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Frequency Excitation

This paper investigates the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of a magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvesters under low frequency excitation, where the angle of external magnetic field is adjustable. The nonlinear dynamic equation with the identified nonlinear magnetic force is derived to describe the electromechanical interaction of variable inclination angle harvesters. The effect of excitation amplitude and frequency on dynamic behavior is proposed by using the phase trajectory and bifurcation diagram. The numerical analysis shows that a rotatable magnetically coupling energy harvesting system exhibits rich nonlinear characteristics with the change of external magnet inclination angle. The nonlinear route to and from large amplitude high energy motion can be clearly observed. It is demonstrated numerically and experimentally that lumped parameters equations with an identified polynomials for magnetic force could adequately describe the characteristics of nonlinear energy harvester. The rotating magnetically coupled energy harvester possesses the usable frequency bandwidth over a wide range of low frequency excitation by adjusting the angular orientation.

A 3D Multidirectional Piezoelectric Energy Harvester using Rope-Driven Mechanism for Low Frequency and Ultralow Intensity Vibration Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhui Zhang ◽  
Maoyu Lin ◽  
Wei Zhou ◽  
Lihua Tang ◽  
Lifeng Qin
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Equivalent Model ◽  
Spherical Coordinate ◽  
Rolling Ball ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Hemispherical Shell ◽  
3D Space ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Mass Spring

Abstract Though numerous piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs) have been designed and investigated to provide power supply for wireless sensors or wearable devices, it remains a challenge for traditional PVEHs to work effectively in an environment of low frequency, low acceleration and multidirectional vibrations. This work presents a PVEH using a low-frequency energy-capturing resonant system formed by a rolling ball in a hemispherical shell and driven by a rope. Due to the symmetry of the sphere, the ball can be excited at multiple directions in 3D space, and the piezoelectric beam can be pulled by the ball through a rope in multiple directions. Thus, the efficient multidirectional energy harvesting under low frequency (< 10 Hz) and ultralow intensity (< 0.1 g) vibrations could be realized. A mass-spring-damper equivalent model was built to understand the operation mechanism of the proposed PVEH. The results show that the proposed PVEH has a potential to collect energy in any direction in 3D space, and could achieve a good angle bandwidth with 360° for φ and 240° for β under the excitation of a = 0.04 g, f = 6.8 Hz with the acceleration defined in the spherical coordinate system. The developed PVEH can generate 6.5 μW under a low-intensity excitation (0.03 g), and the normalized power density can reach 22.63 μW/(cm3g2Hz). Moreover, the minimum start-up acceleration analysis of the proposed PVEH indicates that the PVEH can capture multidirectional energy from vibrations as low as 0.01 g. In addition, both simulation and experimental study on rope redundancy and ball mass show that they can be used to adjust the device performance easily without structure re-fabrication. Overall, this study demonstrates a new mechanism that could effectively harvest low frequency, ultralow intensity and multidirectional vibration

Modeling and Performance Enhancement of Low-Frequency Energy Harvesters

2015 ◽  
pp. 159-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdessattar Abdelkefi
Keyword(s):  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Ocean Waves ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
And Performance

There exist numerous low-frequency excitation sources, such as walking, breathing, and ocean waves, capable of providing viable amounts of mechanical energy to power many critical devices, including pacemakers, cell phones, MEMS devices, wireless sensors, and actuators. Harvesting significant energy levels from such sources can only be achieved through the design of devices capable of performing effective energy transfer mechanisms over low frequencies. In this chapter, two concepts of efficient low-frequency piezoelectric energy harvesters are presented, namely, variable-shaped piezoelectric energy harvesters and piezomagnetoelastic energy harvesters. Linear and nonlinear electromechanical models are developed and validated in this chapter. The results show that the quadratic shape can yield up to two times the energy harvested by a rectangular one. It is also demonstrated that depending on the available excitation frequency, an enhanced energy harvester can be tuned and optimized by changing the length of the piezoelectric material or by changing the distance between the two tip magnets.

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