Design of Nonlinear Energy Harvester With Snap-Through Buckling Mechanism

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumin Seong ◽  
Soobum Lee
Keyword(s):  
Nonlinear Vibration ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Random Nature ◽  
Broadband Frequency

Vibration energy harvesting (EH) has been initiated from linear vibration principle, which utilizes a single frequency to obtain power. Unfortunately, linear energy harvesters do not yield appreciable power because of random nature of vibration in the real world. In order to overcome the weakness of linear harvesters and account for the arbitrary nature of vibration, multiple nonlinear vibration energy harvesters have been developed and studied. This paper presents parametric study on the design of nonlinear vibration EH device that utilizes snap-through mechanism to obtain high power from broadband excitation frequency. The device is comprised of a cantilever beam with curved shell implemented in the middle of the beam. When vibrating, the curved shell causes snap-through buckling and the nature of vibration becomes nonlinear. For practical purposes, a broadband frequency vibration input is used to optimize the energy harvester design. Design variables are assigned and optimized in order to create optimal design of the energy harvester, which maximizes power output. The presented design will have positive effect by providing means to practically capturing wasted vibration energy in consideration of its broadband frequency utilization.

Multi-Modal Vibration Energy Harvesting Using a Trapezoidal Plate

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa H. Arafa
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Natural Frequencies ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Modes ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Trapezoidal Plate ◽  
Plate Geometry ◽  
Modal Vibration

Vibration-based energy harvesters are usually designed to exhibit natural frequencies that match those of the excitation for maximum power output. This has spurred interest into the design of devices that respond to variable frequency sources. In this work, an electromagnetic energy harvester in the form of a base excited trapezoidal plate is proposed. The plate geometry is designed to achieve two closely spaced vibration modes in order to harvest energy across a broader bandwidth. The ensuing bending and twisting vibrations are utilized in this capacity by placing a magnet on the plate tip that moves past a stationary coil. A dynamic model is presented to predict the system performance and is verified experimentally.

Investigating the Feasibility of Tuning the Natural Frequency of an Electromagnetically-Transduced Energy Harvester Using Passively-Controlled Inductance

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brennan E. Yamamoto ◽  
A. Zachary Trimble
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Natural Frequency ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Mechanical Spring ◽  
Energy Harvesting System

As the required power for wireless, low-power sensor systems continues to decrease, the feasibility of a fully self-sustaining, onboard power supply, has increased interest in the field of vibration energy harvesting — where ambient kinetic energy is scavenged from the surrounding environment. Current literature has produced a number of harvesting techniques and transduction methods; however, they are all fundamentally similar in that, the harmonic excitation frequency must fall within the resonant bandwidth frequency of the harvesting mechanism to maintain acceptable energy output. The purpose of this research is to investigate the potential for natural frequency tuning by means of passive electrical components, that is, using an imposed electrical inductance to adjust the equivalent stiffness, and resulting resonant frequency of a vibration energy harvester. In past literature, it was concluded that an “active” frequency tuning mechanism would be infeasible, as the power required by an equivalent “stiffening transducer” would require more power to maintain the system at resonance, than the system would actually produce as a result of maintaining resonance, i.e., a net energy loss (Roundy and Zhang 2005). It is believed that the model used in this conclusion can be improved by directly modeling changes in system stiffness as an equivalent mechanical spring, instead of an external inertial loading. Due to the conservative nature of the harmonic spring, the compliance of a harvesting mechanism can be theoretically altered without energy losses, whether the actuation is applied using “active” or “passive” means. This revised model departs from the traditional, base excitation model in most vibration energy harvesting systems, and includes additional stiffness, and damping elements, representative of induced mechanical spring, and related losses. We can validate the feasibility of this technique, if it can be shown that the natural frequency of an energy harvester can be altered, and still maintain energy output similar to its “untuned” natural frequency. If feasible, this tuning method would provide a viable alternative to other bandwidth-increasing techniques in literature, e.g., wideband harvesting, bandwidth normalizing, high-damping, etc. In this research, a change in natural frequency of the experimental energy harvesting system of 0.5 Hz was demonstrated, indicating that adjusting the natural frequency of a vibration energy harvesting system is possible; however, there are many new challenges associated with the revised energy harvesting model, related to the new introduced losses to the system, as well as impedance matching between the mechanical and electrical domains. Further research is required to better quantitatively characterize the relationship between natural frequency shift, and imposed electrical inductance.

Multi-Modal Vibration Energy Harvesting Using a Trapezoidal Plate

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa H. Arafa
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Natural Frequencies ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Modes ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Trapezoidal Plate ◽  
Plate Geometry ◽  
Modal Vibration

Vibration-based energy harvesters are usually designed to exhibit natural frequencies that match those of the excitation for maximum power output. This has spurred interest into the design of devices that respond to variable frequency sources. In this work, an electromagnetic energy harvester in the form of a base excited trapezoidal plate is proposed. The plate geometry is designed to achieve two closely spaced vibration modes in order to harvest energy across a broader bandwidth. The ensuing bending and twisting vibrations are utilized in this capacity by placing a magnet on the plate tip that moves past a stationary coil. A dynamic model is presented to predict the system performance and is verified experimentally.

Experimental characterisation of dual-mass vibration energy harvesters employing velocity amplification

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (20) ◽  
pp. 2810-2826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronan Frizzell ◽  
Gerard Kelly ◽  
Francesco Cottone ◽  
Elisabetta Boco ◽  
Valeria Nico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Response ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Wireless Sensor ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvester ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Network Applications ◽  
Higher Power ◽  
Battery Technology

Vibration energy harvesting extracts energy from the environment and can mitigate reliance on battery technology in wireless sensor networks. This article presents the nonlinear responses of two multi-mass vibration energy harvesters that employ a velocity amplification effect. This amplification is achieved by momentum transfer from larger to smaller masses following impact between masses. Two systems are presented that show the evolution of multi-mass vibration energy harvester designs: (1) a simplified prototype that effectively demonstrates the basic principles of the approach and (2) an enhanced design that achieves higher power densities and a wider frequency response. Various configurations are investigated to better understand the nonlinear dynamics and how best to realise future velocity-amplified vibration energy harvesters. The frequency responses of the multi-mass harvesters show that these devices have the potential to reduce risks associated with deploying vibration energy harvester devices in wireless sensor network applications; the wide frequency response reduces the need to re-tune the harvesters following frequency variations of the source vibrations.

A Control Approach for Broadening the Operating Frequency Range of a Bridge Vibration Energy Harvester

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander V. Pedchenko ◽  
Jonathan W. Hoke ◽  
Eric J. Barth
Keyword(s):  
Condition Monitoring ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Power Source ◽  
Structural Vibration ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvester ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Electromagnetic Vibration

Remote bridge condition monitoring can be accomplished using sensors equipped with transmitters. This allows for timely detection of structural degradation and thereby increases safety. These sensors require a more permanent power source than batteries to enable operation without costly periodic maintenance. Since bridges exhibit structural vibration, electromagnetic vibration energy harvesting is a viable power source candidate. Unfortunately conventional electromagnetic vibration energy harvesters (VEHs) operate efficiently only at their natural frequency. Since a single bridge will vibrate differently, depending on its traffic conditions, the following work proposes a method for augmenting the excitation frequency bandwidth for electromagnetic VEHs, thereby enabling them to be feasible power supplies for bridge condition monitoring. Specifically, the paper provides experimental results showing the effectiveness of the proposed method in inducing resonance type behavior in an electromagnetic VEH at excitation frequencies that otherwise produce little to no motion in the harvester.

Modeling of Rotating Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesters with Nonlinear Magnetic Forces

2014 ◽  
Vol 945-949 ◽  
pp. 1457-1460
Author(s):  
Bin Guo ◽  
Zhong Sheng Chen ◽  
Cong Cong Cheng ◽  
Yong Min Yang
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Force ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvester ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Magnetic Forces ◽  
Lagrange’S Equation ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Piezoelectric Vibration

A methodology of rotating vibration energy harvesting with nonlinear magnetic forces is studied in this paper. A mathematical model of rotating piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters with nonlinear magnetic forces is built by the Lagrange’s equation and assumed-modes method. The nonlinear model is solved by numerical methods. Then the effects of distance between two magnets are studied. The results demonstrate that the performance of rotating piezoelectric vibration energy harvester with nonlinear magnetic force is better than traditional linear ones when the distance between two magnets is appropriate.

scholarly journals Modeling, Simulation and Optimization of Piezoelectric Bimorph Transducer for Broadband Vibration Energy Harvesting

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Chen ◽  
Vishwas Bedekar
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Piezoelectric Properties ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Bimorph ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Compliance Matrix ◽  
Simulation And Optimization ◽  
Power Characteristics ◽  
Modeling Simulation ◽  
Length Width

We demonstrate the detailed analysis for conversion of piezoelectric properties into compliance matrix and simulate a series bimorph configuration for vibration based energy generation. Commercially available software COMSOL Multiphysics was used to apply boundary conditions for optimization of geometric parameters such as length, width and thickness of piezoelectric layer to study voltage and power characteristics of the harvester. The resulting energy harvester was found to generate 1.73 mW at 53.4 Hz across a 3MW load with an energy density of 13.08mJ/cm3. We also investigated feasibility of this model by comparing it with existing experimental data of known piezoelectric ceramic compositions and found good correlation between the two.

Modelling of Mechanical Nonlinearity in an Electromagnetic Vibration Energy Harvester Using a Forced Duffing Equation

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Moss ◽  
L. A. Vandewater ◽  
S. C. Galea
Keyword(s):  
Output Power ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Duffing Oscillator ◽  
Maximum Output Power ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvesting ◽  
Vibration Energy Harvester ◽  
Homotopy Analysis ◽  
Wire Coil

This work reports on the modelling and experimental validation of a bi-axial vibration energy harvesting approach that uses a permanent-magnet/ball-bearing arrangement and a wire-coil transducer. The harvester’s behaviour is modelled using a forced Duffing oscillator, and the primary first order steady state resonant solutions are found using the homotopy analysis method (or HAM). Solutions found are shown to compare well with measured bearing displacements and harvested output power, and are used to predict the wideband frequency response of this type of vibration energy harvester. A prototype harvesting arrangement produced a maximum output power of 12.9 mW from a 12 Hz, 500 milli-g (or 4.9 m/s2) rms excitation.

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