A survey on ambient energy sources and harvesting methods for structural health monitoring applications

Shihua Cao,Jianqing Li

doi:10.1177/1687814017696210

Shihua Cao, Jianqing Li

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1687814017696210

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Abstract

Structural health monitoring is widely used for maintaining and monitoring various structures in different areas. In general, the structural health monitoring system life span depends on the capability of the batteries, but it can be increased by energy harvesting approaches to autonomously produce power. These autonomously powered structural health monitoring systems have received increasing attention over the past decades. This article reviews recent developments in the ambient energy sources and energy harvesting methods for structural health monitoring applications. First, the earliest and most common method of harvesting energy from sunlight and wind is discussed. Then, vibration and thermal gradient energy harvesting methods are reviewed together with their feasibilities. Finally, radio frequency energy harvesting, a unique method developed in recent years, is highlighted. A double-resonant coil ferrite rod antenna for radio frequency energy harvesting in medium frequency band is proposed. Simulation results indicate that the proposed double-resonant coil ferrite rod antenna can increase the gain by 2.8 dBi and the receiving voltage by 25.77% compared with a conventional single-resonant coil ferrite rod antenna.

Highlights

Structural health monitoring (SHM), as a prominent application of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), is widely used in public safety areas, for instance, in hillcreep monitoring,[1] searching and salvaging,[2] and fire monitoring in structures.[3]
These advantages make broadcast stations attractive ambient energy sources for powering wireless sensor nodes for SHM applications.[61]
4‘coil In Formulations (1)–(3), D denotes the diameter of the coil, ‘ the length of the ferrite rod, E the electric electromagnetic field in the AM band, which can improve the efficiency of radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting

Summary

Introduction

Structural health monitoring (SHM), as a prominent application of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), is widely used in public safety areas, for instance, in hillcreep monitoring,[1] searching and salvaging,[2] and fire monitoring in structures.[3] SHM systems can detect damage in municipal, military, aerospace, and industrial structures, for example, bridges, buildings, vehicles, water pipes, oil pipelines, tunnels, and infrastructures.[4,5] battery-powered WSNs suffer from severe energy limitation because the lifetime of the batteries is only a few months or years To overcome this limitation, periodic manual maintenance work, such as recharging or replacing batteries for sensor nodes, is needed. Vibrations (machine motion) Wind Thermal (human) Thermal (industry) Radio frequency (RF-GSM) Radio frequency (RF-WiFi) Radio frequency (RF-AM)

Harvesting methods

Findings

A DRCFR antenna for RF energy harvesting from the AM band