A novel multi-degree of freedom kinetic energy harvester for self-powered low-power applications in ships

Abstract

The utilization of kinetic energy from the motion of small fishing boats to energize ship-borne wireless sensors offers a promising solution to address the power supply challenges of these sensors in the maritime environment. Nonetheless, the constrained scope of retrievable kinetic energy in the prevailing ship-borne kinetic energy harvester has evolved into a hindrance, curbing its progression. Hence, this paper proposed a novel multi-degree of freedom kinetic energy harvester for low-power applications in ships, where the harvester is harnessed by combining a ball rod, sliding bearing, and slider body. Relying on this mechanical device, the ship's kinetic energy in the surge, roll, sway, and pitch directions is transformed into the swinging motion of the mass ball, subsequently converted into the movement of the slider body. Under the influence of the magnetic force between the slider body and the piezoelectric beam, the piezoelectric beam experiences frequent oscillations, ultimately translating mechanical motion into electrical energy. The experimental results show that the harvester can charge capacitors with capacities of 220 μF, 470 μF, and 1000 μF to 1 V within time intervals of 15 s, 24 s, and 36 s. The prototype has been effectively deployed on a ship in an artificial lake, achieving an impressive maximum average power output of 173.10 μW. This study serves as compelling evidence that the harvesting of kinetic energy from ships presents a promising solution for self-powering low-energy applications onboard while also introducing a novel design concept for applying kinetic energy harvesters on fishing vessels.