Bidirectional Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

Andrius Čeponis,Dalius Mažeika,Artūras Kilikevičius

doi:10.3390/s19183845

Andrius Čeponis, Dalius Mažeika + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/s19183845

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Abstract

This paper represents a numerical and experimental investigation of the bidirectional piezoelectric energy harvester. The harvester can harvest energy from the vibrating base in two perpendicular directions. The introduced harvester consists of two cantilevers that are connected by a particular angle and two seismic masses. The first mass is placed at a free end of the harvester while the second mass is fixed at the joining point of the cantilevers. The piezoelectric energy harvester employs the first and the second out of plane bending modes. The numerical investigation was carried out to obtain optimal geometrical parameters and to calculate the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the harvester. The energy harvester can provide stable output power during harmonic and impact-based excitation in two directions. The results of the investigations showed that energy harvester provides a maximum output power of 16.85 µW and 15.9 4 µW when the base has harmonic vibrations in y and z directions, respectively. Maximum output of 4.059 nW/N and 3.1 nW/N in y and z directions were obtained in case of impact based excitation

Highlights

Nowadays, wireless electronic devices, networks of wireless sensors, biomedical devices, and wearable electronics take a huge part in most areas of industry, life sciences, medicine, etc. [1,2].wireless and portable devices have the main disadvantage—short battery life, and as a result, it leads to environment pollution, high costs of maintenance and etc
Energy harvesters based on piezoelectric materials have numerous advantages like high output power densities, piezoelectric energy harvesters are suitable for MEMS applications, in most cases, harvesters are magnetic field free and have a simple structure and etc. [9,10]
Hz (a); acceleration aligned to y direction, acceleration aligned to z direction, resonant frequency 15 Hz (a); acceleration aligned to y direction, resonant

Summary

Introduction

Wireless electronic devices, networks of wireless sensors, biomedical devices, and wearable electronics take a huge part in most areas of industry, life sciences, medicine, etc. [1,2].wireless and portable devices have the main disadvantage—short battery life, and as a result, it leads to environment pollution, high costs of maintenance and etc. There exist four main kinetic energy harvesting mechanism: electromagnetic, electrostatic, triboelectric, and piezoelectric. Each kinetic energy transduction mechanism has disadvantages like electromagnetic kinetic energy harvesters have low-level output voltage, are not suitable for high excitation frequencies and are not suitable for MEMS applications. Energy harvesters based on piezoelectric materials have numerous advantages like high output power densities, piezoelectric energy harvesters are suitable for MEMS applications, in most cases, harvesters are magnetic field free and have a simple structure and etc. Investigations of piezoelectric energy harvesters are focused on the improvement of mechanical and electric characteristics of piezoelectric cantilevers

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