Geometric modifications to bluff body for enhanced performance in a wind-induced vibration energy harvester

Abstract

Specialized sensors in wireless networks monitor the environment with minimal power, which is typically provided by batteries but it can also be powered with renewable sources using smart materials. One such solution is piezoelectric wind energy harvesting to power these sensors. However, the low output power of piezoelectric materials is still a concern. This research aims to improve piezoelectric wind energy harvesting by modifying the geometry of the bluff body. A square-shaped bluff body is used as a reference, and geometric changes are made by attaching square-shaped extensions. The study creates a mathematical model of a cantilever beam system with a piezoelectric material at fix end and a bluff body at the free end, using a multi-physics approach that combines electromechanical and aerodynamic models. The study uses MATLAB Simulink to solve the differential equations and verify the results with experiments. A parametric analysis examines the impact of external resistance, wind speed, and bluff body shape on circuit metrics. The study found that at a wind speed of 6 m/s and an optimal load resistance of 200 kΩ, the system generated 4.984 mW of power. This result demonstrates the potential of wind energy harvesting to power various distributed sensors for a wide range of applications.