A non-contact mechanical solution for implementing synchronized switching techniques for energy harvesting using reed switches

Abstract

In this work we proposed a new mechanical method of implementing the synchronized switching technique for piezoelectric energy harvesting based on reed switches. Serving as a mechanical displacement monitor and the switch itself, it holds the merit of non-contact, persistence, and the low voltage threshold of merely a single PN junction. However, as all mechanical switches inherits chattering, or bouncing, energy loss and damping on the inversion was caused. To side pass the chattering, three types of electro-mechanical hybrid switches were furthermore developed to stabilize the interfered current flow: resistor–capacitor snubbers, inductor–capacitor snubbers, and silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs). Each of the method has its merit and suitable working conditions. Comparing to conventional electrical switches, the proposed switches, greatly reduced the switch impedance since the mechanical switch part provides a physically open switch, and the electrical switch part merely consist of either a diode and a MOSFET pair, or a single SCR. Subsequently, the power loss due to the circuit was efficiently eliminated.