Advances in Polymer-Based Piezoelectric Systems

2017 ◽  
pp. 139-157
Author(s):  
Nithin Kundachira Subramani ◽  
Shilpa K. N. ◽  
Sachhidananda Shivanna ◽  
Jagajeevan Raj B. M. ◽  
Siddaramaiah Hatna
Keyword(s):  
Vibrational Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Filler Materials ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Polymer ◽  
High Efficient ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Piezoelectric Behavior ◽  
Vibrational Energy Harvesting

Lately, polymer based piezoelectric materials that harness energy from mechanical vibrations and/or impact are being increasingly investigated as radical alternates to conventional batteries that are hard to service once deployed. Nevertheless, the optimization of energy outputs of piezoelectric energy harvesters is one of the prime challenges faced by the scientific community. This chapter provides an overview of polymer based piezoelectric energy harvesters with special emphasis on current state of research on polymer composites/nanocomposites for vibrational energy harvesting. A detailed summary of piezoelectric phenomenon in polymers is also presented. An in-depth narration detailing the enhancement of piezoelectric behavior of one of the most commonly employed piezoelectric polymer (PVDF) is presented with special emphasis on some of the promising filler materials towards realizing high efficient piezoelectric modules. This chapter is intended to give an insight on the recent advances in the field of polymer based piezoelectric materials.

Design, Analysis, and Experimental Studies of a Novel PVDF-Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvester With Beating Mechanisms

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo-Shen Chen
Keyword(s):  
Natural Frequency ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Low Frequency Vibration ◽  
High Efficient ◽  
The Future

Wireless sensor networks become increasingly important in modern life for structural health monitoring and other related applications. In these applications, due to their overall sensor populations and possible covered measurement areas, the replacement of batteries becomes a difficult and unrealistic task. As a result, energy harvesters to convert environment wasted vibration energy into electricity for powering those sensor nodes become important and many miniaturized device have been realized by using MEMS technology. In order to achieve optimal performance, the energy harvester must be operated at the resonance frequency. However, the vibration frequencies of environmental vibrations are usually much less than that of those miniaturizing energy harvesters and this fact could be a major barrier for energy harvesting performance. In this paper, a new piezoelectric energy scavenging concept is proposed and demonstrated to convert environmental vibrations into electricity. Unlike previous MEMS-based piezoelectric energy harvesters, which suffer from matching between environmental low frequency vibration and the much higher system natural frequency, this work proposes a novel beating design using polymer piezoelectric materials in collaborating with a beating mechanism. That is, by creating impact force via the low frequency vibration motion from the mechanism, it is possible to excite system natural frequency by the low frequency environmental vibrations and it is possible to operate the entire system at the natural frequency. This work contains details in presenting this idea, designing piezoelectric harvester systems with flexible PVDF elements, exploring their vibration characteristics, and energy accumulating strategies by using a capacitor with a full-bridged rectifiers or a boost conversion. By experimental characterization, the overall harvesting efficiency of the proposed design is much greater than that from the design without the beating mechanism. It indicates that the efficiency is significantly improved and the proposed translational design could potentially improve the future design approach for piezoelectric energy harvesters significantly. In summary, this preliminary study shows that it is a feasible scheme for the application of piezoelectric materials in harvesting electricity from environmental vibrations. Although this work is still in its initial phase, the results and conclusions of this work are still invaluable for guiding the development of high efficient piezoelectric harvesters in the future.

A Practical Power Maximization Design Guide for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Inspired by Avian Bio-Loggers

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Shafer ◽  
Matthew Bryant ◽  
Ephrahim Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Vibrational Energy ◽  
Damping Ratio ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Beam Geometry ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Simple Question ◽  
Power Maximization ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
The Ideal

Vibrational energy harvesting has been the subject of significant recent research, and has even begun commercial deployment. Despite the research community’s understanding of the fundamental mechanics of piezoelectric systems under base excitation, proper design methods and guidelines for applied systems are nonexistent. This leaves engineers with the options of either using non-ideal beams, or developing complex heuristic computational design programs. Such options are untenable given the state of research. We seek to answer a relatively simple question: Given mass, frequency, and size requirements, what would be the dimensions of the ideal bimorph harvester? By using approximations for the first natural frequency and mode shape, we are able to determine the unknown beam dimensions and modal parameters in terms of the system requirements and material properties. The result is a power equation that only depends on relative piezoelectric material thickness, and the mechanical damping ratio. With only two dependent variables, the equations can be swept in order to find the ideal beam geometry for any given damping ratio. In addition to presenting this method, two design case studies are provided as examples.

scholarly journals Piezoelectric Energy Generators Based on Spring and Inertial Mass

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanghyun Yoon ◽  
Jinhwan Kim ◽  
Kyung-Ho Cho ◽  
Young-Ho Ko ◽  
Sang-Kwon Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Inertial Mass ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Mechanical Shock ◽  
Generator System ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Shock Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
And Performance

In this study, inertial mass-based piezoelectric energy generators with and without a spring were designed and tested. This energy harvesting system is based on the shock absorber, which is widely used to protect humans or products from mechanical shock. Mechanical shock energies, which were applied to the energy absorber, were converted into electrical energies. To design the energy harvester, an inertial mass was introduced to focus the energy generating position. In addition, a spring was designed and tested to increase the energy generation time by absorbing the mechanical shock energy and releasing a decreased shock energy over a longer time. Both inertial mass and the spring are the key design parameters for energy harvesters as the piezoelectric materials, Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics were employed to store and convert the mechanical force into electric energy. In this research, we will discuss the design and performance of the energy generator system based on shock absorbers.

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 Design and Analysis of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 2249-2257
Keyword(s):  
Duty Cycle ◽  
Power Flow ◽  
Vibrational Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Piezoelectric Element ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Nonlinear Process ◽  
Power Relationship ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Harvesting Systems

This Paper presents a new technique of electrical energy generation using mechanically excited piezoelectric materials and a nonlinear process. This technique, called double synchronized switch harvesting (DSSH), is derived from the synchronized switch damping (SSD), which is a nonlinear technique previously developed to address the problem of vibration damping on mechanical structures. This technique results in a significant increase of the electromechanical conversion capability of piezoelectric materials. An optimized method of harvesting vibrational energy with a piezoelectric element using a dc–dc converter is presented. In this configuration, the converter regulates the power flow from the piezoelectric element to the desired electronic load. Analysis of the converter in discontinuous current conduction mode results in an expression for the duty cycle-power relationship. Using parameters of the mechanical system, the piezoelectric element, and the converter; the “optimal” duty cycle can be determined where the harvested power is maximized for the level of mechanical excitation. A circuit is proposed which implements this relationship, and experimental results show that the converter increases the harvested power by approximately 365% as compared to when the dc–dc converter is not used

Concurrent vibration attenuation and low-power electricity generation in a locally resonant metastructure

2022 ◽  
pp. 1045389X2110725
Author(s):  
Mohid Muneeb Khattak ◽  
Christopher Sugino ◽  
Alper Erturk
Keyword(s):  
Vibrational Energy ◽  
Laser Doppler Vibrometer ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Main Beam ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Vibration Attenuation ◽  
Electrodynamic Shaker ◽  
Electrical Loads ◽  
Power Outputs

We investigate piezoelectric energy harvesting on a locally resonant metamaterial beam for concurrent power generation and bandgap formation. The mechanical resonators (small beam attachments on the main beam structure) have piezoelectric elements which are connected to electrical loads to quantify their electrical output in the locally resonant bandgap neighborhood. Electromechanical model simulations are followed by detailed experiments on a beam setup with nine resonators. The main beam is excited by an electrodynamic shaker from its base over the frequency range of0–150 Hz and the motion at the tip is measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer to extract its transmissibility frequency response. The formation of a locally resonant bandgap is confirmed and a resistor sweep is performed for the energy harvesters to capture the optimal power conditions. Individual power outputs of the harvester resonators are compared in terms of their percentage contribution to the total power output. Numerical and experimental analysis shows that, inside the locally resonant bandgap, most of the vibrational energy (and hence harvested energy) is localized near the excited base of the beam, and the majority of the total harvested power is extracted by the first few resonators.

Assumed-Modes Formulation of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters: Euler-Bernoulli, Rayleigh and Timoshenko Models With Axial Deformations

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alper Erturk ◽  
Daniel J. Inman
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Solution ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Axial Direction ◽  
Vibration Energy ◽  
Power Requirement ◽  
Large Power ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Cantilevered Beam ◽  
Transduction Mechanisms

Harvesting of vibration energy has been investigated by numerous researchers over the last decade. The research motivation in this field is due to the reduced power requirement of small electronic components such as wireless sensor networks used in monitoring applications. The ultimate goal is to power such devices by using the waste vibration energy available in their environment so that the maintenance requirement for battery replacement is minimized. Among the basic transduction mechanisms that can be used for vibration-to-electricity conversion, piezoelectric transduction has received the most attention due to the large power densities and ease of application of piezoelectric materials. Typically, a piezoelectric energy harvester is a cantilevered beam with one or two piezoceramic layers and the source of excitation is the base motion in the transverse direction. This paper presents general formulations for electromechanical modeling of base-excited piezoelectric energy harvesters with symmetric and asymmetric laminates. The electromechanical derivations are given using the assumed-modes method under the Euler-Bernoulli, Rayleigh and Timoshenko beam assumptions in three sections. The formulations account for an independent axial displacement variable in all cases. Comparisons are provided against the analytical solution given by the authors for symmetric laminates and convergence of the assumed-modes solution to the analytical solution with the increasing number of modes is shown. Experimental validations are also presented by comparing the electromechanical frequency response functions derived here against the experimentally obtained ones. The electromechanical assumed-modes formulations given here can be used for modeling of piezoelectric energy harvesters with asymmetric laminates as well as those with moderate thickness and varying geometry in the axial direction.

Closed-form solutions for forced vibrations of piezoelectric energy harvesters by means of Green’s functions

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (17) ◽  
pp. 2372-2387 ◽  
Author(s):  
X Zhao ◽  
EC Yang ◽  
YH Li ◽  
W Crossley
Keyword(s):  
Closed Form ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
Forced Vibrations ◽  
Rotational Inertia ◽  
Closed Form Solutions ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Piezoelectric Energy ◽  
Laplace Transform Technique ◽  
Damping Effects ◽  
Tip Mass

In this article, the closed-form solutions are obtained for the forced vibrations of cantilevered unimorph piezoelectric energy harvesters. A tip mass is attached at the free end, and the moment of its inertia to the fixed end is considered. Timoshenko beam assumptions are used to establish a coupled electromechanical model for the harvester. Two damping effects, transverse and rotational damping effects, are taken into account. Green’s function method and Laplace transform technique are used to solve the coupled electromechanical vibration system. The conventional case of a harmonic base excitation is considered, and numerical calculations are performed. The present model is validated by comparing its predictions with the existing data, the experimental results, and the finite element method solutions. The influences of shear deformation and rotational inertia on the predictions are discussed. The effect of load resistance on the electrical power is studied, and the optimal load resistances are obtained. Ultimately, the optimal schemes are proposed to improve electricity generation performance for the soft piezoelectric materials: PZT-5A/5H.

Energy Harvesting From Aeroelastic Instabilities for Highly Flexible Aircraft

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Sotoudeh
Keyword(s):  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Smart Materials ◽  
Vibrational Energy ◽  
Piezoelectric Materials ◽  
The Body ◽  
Limit Cycle Oscillation ◽  
Beam Model ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Energy Harvesters ◽  
Cycle Oscillation

Aeroelastic instabilities such as flutter, limit cycle oscillation (LCO), and divergence are traditionally considered undesirable. Designers try to avoid these instabilities by adding enough stiffness or damping to structures. A new approach to suppressing these instabilities is to use smart material to harvest energy from airflow. In this way not only are the aeroelastic instabilities avoided, but also some energy will be harvested. The harvested energy can be used for powering sensors, morphing parts of the structure, and ultimately increasing the performance of the aircraft. Energy harvesting from aeroelastic phenomena can also be used in designing small wind energy harvesters for home use. In this paper we will explore both capabilities. Piezoelectric materials are among the attractive smart materials for energy harvesting. Piezoelectric materials generate electric potential as they deform. We will explore the use of these materials in aeroelastic harvesting. Ref. 1 has a general overview of different forms of vibrational energy harvesting, including the use of piezoelectric materials. Harvesting energy from aeroelastic instabilities is a relatively new area; therefore, the body of literature on this subject is relatively young. Most of the analysis is limited to a 2-D cross-sectional analysis with steady or quasi-steady flow. We will use a 2-D model with an unsteady aerodynamic model as the preliminary result. More realistic cases with a beam model will be added to the final version of the paper. For the beam model, we will use fully intrinsic equations.

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