Abstract
The conventional resonant-approaches to scavenge kinetic energy are typically confined to narrow and single-band frequencies. The vibration energy harvester device reported here combines both direct resonance and parametric resonance in order to enhance the power responsiveness towards more efficient harnessing of real-world ambient vibration. A packaged electromagnetic harvester designed to operate in both of these resonant regimes was tested in situ on the Forth Road Bridge. In the field-site, the harvester, with an operational volume of ∼126 cm3, was capable of recovering in excess of 1 mW average raw AC power from the traffic-induced vibrations in the lateral bracing structures underneath the bridge deck. The harvester was integrated off-board with a power conditioning circuit and a wireless mote. Duty- cycled wireless transmissions from the vibration-powered mote was successfully sustained by the recovered ambient energy. This limited duration field test provides the initial validation for realising vibration-powered wireless structural health monitoring systems in real world infrastructure, where the vibration profile is both broadband and intermittent.
Highlights
Harvesting ambient kinetic energy holds the promise of realising decentralised power generation for the electronic systems at the point of application
This paper reports a packaged vibration energy harvester designed to operate in both direct resonant and parametric resonant regimes
Over 1 mW average AC power was generated at certain locations
Summary
Harvesting ambient kinetic energy holds the promise of realising decentralised power generation for the electronic systems at the point of application. Common frequency broadening techniques in the literature [2] include arraying of multiple harvesters each at a slightly different frequency (at the cost of overall power density), mechanical frequency tuning (actuation power is required), electrical frequency tuning (moderate tuning range) and various other nonlinear vibrational approaches such as Duffing oscillators (moderate broadening) and bi-stable structures (design complexity). At the core, these techniques still involve the direct excitation of a classic linear (or weakly nonlinear) resonator.
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