Friction-induced vibration energy harvesting via a piezoelectric cantilever vibration energy collector

Abstract

A piezoelectric cantilever vibration energy collector (PCVEC) was developed to harvest friction-induced vibration (FIV) energy. Tests were conducted using a CETR machine. A finite element model (FEM) and a 5-degree-of-freedom (5-DOF) numerical model were established to verify the harvester’s effectiveness. The results show that PCVEC effectively converts FIV energy into electrical energy. PCVEC does not generate any voltage when the block moves in the direction opposite to the friction direction. PCVEC exhibits better deformation capability when the mass and stiffness of cantilever beam are low, enabling the piezoelectric ceramic material to convert FIV energy into electrical energy more efficiently. As the mass and stiffness increase, the deformation capability of the PCVEC weakens, resulting in a decrease in the output voltage.