scholarly journals Overview of Human Walking Induced Energy Harvesting Technologies and Its Possibility for Walking Robotics

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hu Shi ◽  
Zhaoying Liu ◽  
Xuesong Mei
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Smart Materials ◽  
Electromagnetic Induction ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Human Walking ◽  
Energy Harvest ◽  
Inertial Element ◽  
The Past ◽  
Overall Efficiency ◽  
Triboelectric Effect

This study is mainly to provide an overview of human walking induced energy harvest. Focusing on the proportion of all energy sources provided by daily activity, the available human walking induced energy is divided with respect to the generation principle. The extensive research on harvesting energy results from body vibration, inertial element, and foot press to convert into electricity is overviewed. Over the past decades, various smart materials have been employed to achieve energy conversion. Generators based on electromagnetic induction or the triboelectric effect were developed and integrated. Small captured power and low overall efficiency are criticized. The concept of human walking energy harvest is extended into the wearable walking robotics using other mediums, such as fluid, to transmit power instead of electricity. By comparison, it is indicated that less energy conversion links are involved in energy regeneration of such applications and expected to guarantee less loss and higher efficiency. Meanwhile, in order to overcome the shortage of relatively low power output, comments are made that the harvester should be capable of adaptation under the condition that the mechanical energy of lower limb and feet is subject to change in different gait phases so as to maximize the collected energy.

scholarly journals Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys as smart materials for micro-positioning devices

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Hubert ◽  
N. Calchand ◽  
Y. Le Gorrec ◽  
J.-Y. Gauthier
Keyword(s):  
Shape Memory Alloys ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Shape Memory ◽  
Smart Materials ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Good Precision ◽  
Magnetic Shape Memory ◽  
Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys ◽  
Energy Conversion Process ◽  
Positioning Devices

In the field of microrobotics, actuators based on smart materials are predominant because of very good precision, integration capabilities and high compactness. This paper presents the main characteristics of Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys as new candidates for the design of micromechatronic devices. The thermo-magneto-mechanical energy conversion process is first presented followed by the adequate modeling procedure required to design actuators. Finally, some actuators prototypes realized at the Femto-ST institute are presented, including a push-pull bidirectional actuator. Some results on the control and performances of these devices conclude the paper.

scholarly journals The Energy Conversion behind Micro-and Nanomotors

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 222
Author(s):  
Yingmeng Wang ◽  
Yingfeng Tu ◽  
Fei Peng
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Power Devices ◽  
The Past ◽  
Targeted Drug ◽  
Application Prospects

Inspired by the autonomously moving organisms in nature, artificially synthesized micro-nano-scale power devices, also called micro-and nanomotors, are proposed. These micro-and nanomotors that can self-propel have been used for biological sensing, environmental remediation, and targeted drug transportation. In this article, we will systematically overview the conversion of chemical energy or other forms of energy in the external environment (such as electrical energy, light energy, magnetic energy, and ultrasound) into kinetic mechanical energy by micro-and nanomotors. The development and progress of these energy conversion mechanisms in the past ten years are reviewed, and the broad application prospects of micro-and nanomotors in energy conversion are provided.

scholarly journals Performance Characteristics in Runner of an Impulse Water Turbine with Splitter Blade

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 303
Author(s):  
Lingdi Tang ◽  
Shouqi Yuan ◽  
Yue Tang ◽  
Zhijun Gao
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Negative Energy ◽  
Water Turbine ◽  
Conversion Performance ◽  
Water Turbines ◽  
Current Energy

The impulse water turbine is a promising energy conversion device that can be used as mechanical power or a micro hydro generator, and its application can effectively ease the current energy crisis. This paper aims to clarify the mechanism of liquid acting on runner blades, the hydraulic performance, and energy conversion characteristics in the runner domain of an impulse water turbine with a splitter blade by using experimental tests and numerical simulations. The runner was divided into seven areas along the flow direction, and the power variation in the runner domain was analyzed to reflect its energy conversion characteristics. The obtained results indicate that the critical area of the runner for doing the work is in the front half of the blades, while the rear area of the blades does relatively little work and even consumes the mechanical energy of the runner to produce negative work. The high energy area is concentrated in the flow passage facing the nozzle. The energy is gradually evenly distributed from the runner inlet to the runner outlet, and the negative energy caused by flow separation with high probability is gradually reduced. The clarification of the energy conversion performance is of great significance to improve the design of impulse water turbines.

scholarly journals Hydrodynamic constraints on the energy efficiency of droplet electricity generators

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Riaud ◽  
Cui Wang ◽  
Jia Zhou ◽  
Wanghuai Xu ◽  
Zuankai Wang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Viscous Dissipation ◽  
Shear Force ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
The Past ◽  
Viscous Shear ◽  
Impingement Velocity

AbstractElectric energy generation from falling droplets has seen a hundred-fold rise in efficiency over the past few years. However, even these newest devices can only extract a small portion of the droplet energy. In this paper, we theoretically investigate the contributions of hydrodynamic and electric losses in limiting the efficiency of droplet electricity generators (DEG). We restrict our analysis to cases where the droplet contacts the electrode at maximum spread, which was observed to maximize the DEG efficiency. Herein, the electro-mechanical energy conversion occurs during the recoil that immediately follows droplet impact. We then identify three limits on existing droplet electric generators: (i) the impingement velocity is limited in order to maintain the droplet integrity; (ii) much of droplet mechanical energy is squandered in overcoming viscous shear force with the substrate; (iii) insufficient electrical charge of the substrate. Of all these effects, we found that up to 83% of the total energy available was lost by viscous dissipation during spreading. Minimizing this loss by using cascaded DEG devices to reduce the droplet kinetic energy may increase future devices efficiency beyond 10%.

scholarly journals Nanoscale Triboelectric-Effect-Enabled Energy Conversion for Sustainably Powering Portable Electronics

Nano Letters ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 6339-6346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sihong Wang ◽  
Long Lin ◽  
Zhong Lin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Portable Electronics ◽  
Triboelectric Effect

A time-varying reliability-based robust design method considering overall efficiency of axial piston pump

2021 ◽  
pp. 1748006X2110661
Author(s):  
Zunling Du ◽  
Yimin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Robust Design ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Structure Parameters ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Reliability Method ◽  
Overall Efficiency ◽  
Axial Piston

Axial piston pumps (APPs) are the core energy conversion components in a hydraulic transmission system. Energy conversion efficiency is critically important for the performance and energy-saving of the pumps. In this paper, a time-varying reliability design method for the overall efficiency of APPs was established. The theoretical and practical instantaneous torque and flow rate of the whole APP were derived through comprehensive analysis of a single piston-slipper group. Moreover, as a case study, the developed model for the instantaneous overall efficiency was verified with a PPV103-10 pump from HYDAC. The time-variation of reliability for the pump was revealed by a fourth-order moment technique considering the randomness of working conditions and structure parameters, and the proposed reliability method was validated by Monte Carlo simulation. The effects of the mean values and variance sensitivity of random variables on the overall efficiency reliability were analyzed. Furthermore, the optimized time point and design variables were selected. The optimal structure parameters were obtained to meet the reliability requirement and the sensitivity of design variables was significantly reduced through the reliability-based robust design. The proposed method provides a theoretical basis for designers to improve the overall efficiency of APPs in the design stage.

Power Harvesting from the Vibration-Induced by the Piezoelectric Stator of Traveling Wave Rotary Ultrasonic Motor

2011 ◽  
Vol 317-319 ◽  
pp. 616-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guang Qing Wang ◽  
Zhong Wei Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Analytical Model ◽  
Traveling Wave ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
Ultrasonic Motor ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Induced Voltage ◽  
Power Harvesting ◽  
Conversion Model ◽  
The Relationship

In this article, a novel electro-mechanical energy conversion model of power harvesting from the vibration-induced the piezoelectric stator of the traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motor was proposed. Based on the curvature basis approach, the relationship between the deduced voltage and the mechanical stain induced by piezoelectric polarization was formulated. In addition to the relationships between the maximum induced voltages at the resonance frequency, the conversion energy density and the dimensions of the piezoelectric stator were also derived. The analytical model shows that the vibration-induced voltage is proportional to the exciting electrical voltage magnitude and square of height of the piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) but is inversely proportional to the permittivity of PZT and the damping coefficient of the stator. Some simulations and experimental results demonstrate that the maximum output voltage coincides with the energy conversion analytical model.

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