An experimental comparison between several active composite actuators for powergeneration

Abstract

The use of piezoelectric materials for power harvesting has attracted significant interestover the past few years. The majority of research on this subject has sought to quantify theamount of energy generated in power harvesting applications, or to develop methods ofimproving the amount of energy generated. Usually, a monolithic piezoelectricmaterial with a traditional electrode pattern and poled through its thickness is usedfor power harvesting. However, in recent years several companies and researchinstitutions have begun to develop and market a broad range of piezoelectric compositesensor/actuator packages, each conceived for specific operational advantages andcharacteristics. Commonly, these devices are employed in control and vibration suppressionapplications, and their potential for use in power-harvesting systems remainslargely unknown. Two frequently implemented design techniques for improving theperformance of such actuators are the use of interdigitated electrodes and piezofibers.This paper seeks to experimentally quantify the differences in performance inpower-harvesting applications between several of these new actuators and to identifythe reasons for their relative performance characteristics. A special focus on thestructural and compositional differences between each actuator is incorporated inthe discussion of the effectiveness of each actuator as a power-harvesting device.