Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Harvesting Wind Energy: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Throughout the world, wind energy is widely distributed as one of the most universal energy sources in nature, containing a gigantic reserve of renewable and green energy. At present, the main way to capture wind energy is to use an electromagnetic generator (EMG), but this technology has many limitations; notably, energy conversion efficiency is relatively low in irregular environments or when there is only a gentle breeze. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which is based on the coupling effect of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction, has obvious advantages for mechanical energy conversion in some specific situations. This review focuses on wind energy harvesting by TENG. First, the basic principles of TENG and existing devices’ working modes are introduced. Second, the latest research into wind energy-related TENG is summarized from the perspectives of structure design, self-power sensors and systems. Then, the potential for large-scale application and hybridization with other energy harvesting technologies is discussed. Finally, future trends and remaining challenges are anticipated and proposed.

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Triboelectric nanogenerators as new energy technology and self-powered sensors – Principles, problems and perspectives

Faraday Discussions ◽

10.1039/c4fd00159a ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 176 ◽

pp. 447-458 ◽

Cited By ~ 590

Author(s):

Zhong Lin Wang

Keyword(s):

Energy Harvesting ◽

Charge Density ◽

Energy Conversion ◽

Daily Life ◽

Mechanical Energy ◽

Ocean Waves ◽

Human Motion ◽

Triboelectric Nanogenerator ◽

Standard Material ◽

Self Powered

Triboelectrification is one of the most common effects in our daily life, but it is usually taken as a negative effect with very limited positive applications. Here, we invented a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on organic materials that is used to convert mechanical energy into electricity. The TENG is based on the conjunction of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction, and it utilizes the most common materials available in our daily life, such as papers, fabrics, PTFE, PDMS, Al, PVCetc.In this short review, we first introduce the four most fundamental modes of TENG, based on which a range of applications have been demonstrated. The area power density reaches 1200 W m−2, volume density reaches 490 kW m−3, and an energy conversion efficiency of ∼50–85% has been demonstrated. The TENG can be applied to harvest all kinds of mechanical energy that is available in our daily life, such as human motion, walking, vibration, mechanical triggering, rotation energy, wind, a moving automobile, flowing water, rain drops, tide and ocean waves. Therefore, it is a new paradigm for energy harvesting. Furthermore, TENG can be a sensor that directly converts a mechanical triggering into a self-generated electric signal for detection of motion, vibration, mechanical stimuli, physical touching, and biological movement. After a summary of TENG for micro-scale energy harvesting, mega-scale energy harvesting, and self-powered systems, we will present a set of questions that need to be discussed and explored for applications of the TENG. Lastly, since the energy conversion efficiencies for each mode can be different although the materials are the same, depending on the triggering conditions and design geometry. But one common factor that determines the performance of all the TENGs is the charge density on the two surfaces, the saturation value of which may independent of the triggering configurations of the TENG. Therefore, the triboelectric charge density or the relative charge density in reference to a standard material (such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) can be taken as a measuring matrix for characterizing the performance of the material for the TENG.

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Portland Cement-TiO2 triboelectric nanogenerator for robust large-scale mechanical energy harvesting and instantaneous motion sensor applications

Nano Energy ◽

10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104802 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 74 ◽

pp. 104802

Author(s):

Jirapan Sintusiri ◽

Viyada Harnchana ◽

Vittaya Amornkitbamrung ◽

Ampol Wongsa ◽

Prinya Chindaprasirt

Keyword(s):

Energy Harvesting ◽

Portland Cement ◽

Large Scale ◽

Mechanical Energy ◽

Triboelectric Nanogenerator ◽

Motion Sensor ◽

Sensor Applications

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Active Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting: General Principle and Experimental Demonstration

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures ◽

10.1177/1045389x08098195 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 20 (5) ◽

pp. 575-585 ◽

Cited By ~ 67

Author(s):

Yiming Liu ◽

Geng Tian ◽

Yong Wang ◽

Junhong Lin ◽

Qiming Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Harvesting ◽

Boundary Conditions ◽

Energy Conversion ◽

Mechanical Energy ◽

Impedance Matching ◽

Energy Conversion Efficiency ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting ◽

Piezoelectric Device ◽

Piezoelectric Energy

In piezoelectric energy harvesting systems, the energy harvesting circuit is the interface between a piezoelectric device and an electrical load. A conventional view of this interface is based on impedance matching concepts. In fact, an energy harvesting circuit can also apply electrical boundary conditions, such as voltage and charge, to the piezoelectric device for each energy conversion cycle. An optimized electrical boundary condition can therefore increase the mechanical energy flow into the device and the energy conversion efficiency of the device. We present a study of active energy harvesting, a type of energy harvesting approach which uses switch-mode power electronics to control the voltage and/or charge on a piezoelectric device relative to the mechanical input for optimized energy conversion. Under quasi-static assumptions, a model based on the electromechanical boundary conditions is established. Some practical limiting factors of active energy harvesting, due to device limitations and the efficiency of the power electronic circuitry, are discussed. In the experimental part of the article, active energy harvesting is demonstrated with a multilayer PVDF polymer device. In these experiments, the active energy harvesting approach increased the harvested energy by a factor of five for the same mechanical displacement compared to an optimized diode rectifier-based circuit.

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Rationally patterned electrode of direct-current triboelectric nanogenerators for ultrahigh effective surface charge density

10.21203/rs.3.rs-49397/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zhihao Zhao ◽

Yejing Dai ◽

Di Liu ◽

Linglin Zhou ◽

Shaoxin Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Harvesting ◽

Charge Density ◽

Surface Charge ◽

Direct Current ◽

Surface Charge Density ◽

Large Scale ◽

Mechanical Energy ◽

Triboelectric Nanogenerator ◽

Electrode Structure ◽

Effective Surface

Abstract As a new-era of energy harvesting technology, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been invented to convert randomly distributed mechanical energy into electric power for Internet of Things (IoTs) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Enhancement of the triboelectric charge density is crucial for its large-scale commercialization. Here, a microstructure-designed direct-current TENG (MDC-TENG) with rationally patterned electrode structure is presented to enhance its effective surface charge density by increasing the efficiency of contact electrification, which achieves a record high charge density of ~5.4 mC m-2 (more than 2 times of the best value reported). The MDC-TENG realizes both the miniaturized device and high output performance. Meanwhile, its effective charge density can be further improved as the device size increases. Our work not only provides a miniaturization strategy of TENG for the application in IoTs and AI as energy supply or self-powered sensor, but also presents a paradigm shift of the large-scale energy harvesting by TENGs.

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An Optimized Flutter-Driven Triboelectric Nanogenerator with a Low Cut-In Wind Speed

Micromachines ◽

10.3390/mi12040366 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 366

Author(s):

Yang Xia ◽

Yun Tian ◽

Lanbin Zhang ◽

Zhihao Ma ◽

Huliang Dai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Power Generation ◽

Wind Speed ◽

Energy Harvesting ◽

Wind Energy ◽

Output Power ◽

Open Circuit Voltage ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Triboelectric Nanogenerator ◽

Vibration Behavior ◽

Air Speed

We present an optimized flutter-driven triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for wind energy harvesting. The vibration and power generation characteristics of this TENG are investigated in detail, and a low cut-in wind speed of 3.4 m/s is achieved. It is found that the air speed, the thickness and length of the membrane, and the distance between the electrode plates mainly determine the PTFE membrane’s vibration behavior and the performance of TENG. With the optimized value of the thickness and length of the membrane and the distance of the electrode plates, the peak open-circuit voltage and output power of TENG reach 297 V and 0.46 mW at a wind speed of 10 m/s. The energy generated by TENG can directly light up dozens of LEDs and keep a digital watch running continuously by charging a capacitor of 100 μF at a wind speed of 8 m/s.

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