Modeling and analysis of flow energy harvesters made of PZT ceramics considering different patches, cross-sections, and tip bodies

Abstract

A nonlinear developed model for various PZT wind energy harvesters with arbitrary dimensions and location of electroceramics has been prepared. This model can describe unimorph and bimorph harvesters with different cantilever cross-sections attached to a tip body with different shapes. The system model has been validated with results reported in the literature. A set of parametric studies has been conducted to examine the influences of the cantilever shape in addition to the shape of the tip body. Furthermore, the impacts of load resistance and wind speed on the output power have been analyzed. The effects of number, position, and dimensions of piezoceramics on the harvester performance have also been investigated. It is found that by increasing the total area of electroceramics (including the length, width, or the number of PZT patches), the peak of the wind critical speed and the middle resistance range where the instability speed is very sensitive to the electrical load shifts toward the lower resistances. Moreover, several instrumental points to design efficient and affordable vibrating wind harvesters at low and high flows have been obtained.