Three phase linear permanent magnet energy scavenger based on foot horizontal motion

Abstract

Energy scavenging from human body motion is gaining more attention. Most of research in energy harvesting from foot motion has focused on heel strike and foot vertical motion. This paper presents a linear electric machine topology and power electronic converter for energy harvesting from horizontal foot movement. Micro level aspect of the whole system makes generator topology unconventional. Therefore, design methodology comprises numerical and analytical modelling. Numerical analysis is based on comprehensive three dimensional finite element analysis (FEA), which provides possibilities for inclusive optimizations presented in this paper. Final results demonstrate that the proposed generator topology is a promising candidate for energy scavenging applications from human foot motion.