TY - GEN
T1 - Improving the performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester using a tip spring-mass system
AU - Zhu, Yang
AU - Barry, Oumar
AU - Su, Weijiun
AU - Zu, Jean
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Vibration-based energy harvesting using piezoelectric materials has gained considerable attention over the past decade. Currently, most piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) are single resonance frequency based. The performance of a single-resonance PEH is often limited to only one resonance frequency. This paper discusses the possibility of improving the performance of a bimorph PEH by tuning the PEH using a spring-mass system attached to the bimorphâTMs free end. Through adding the spring-mass system, the PEHâTMs resonance frequency can be tuned to match the ambient vibration frequency, and its voltage/power-generating capability can be improved. An electromechanical model of the PEH is derived based on the Lagrange multiplier method. The model is then used in a harmonic base excitation case study, and the coupled electromechanical outputs are discussed. Simulation results show that the spring-mass attachment can create two resonant frequencies, making the PEH capable of working efficiently at two different frequencies in a low-frequency level. It is also shown that by properly selecting the spring stiffness and the mass, the voltage and power output of the PEH can be greatly increased as compared to a single bimorph without the springmass system.
AB - Vibration-based energy harvesting using piezoelectric materials has gained considerable attention over the past decade. Currently, most piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) are single resonance frequency based. The performance of a single-resonance PEH is often limited to only one resonance frequency. This paper discusses the possibility of improving the performance of a bimorph PEH by tuning the PEH using a spring-mass system attached to the bimorphâTMs free end. Through adding the spring-mass system, the PEHâTMs resonance frequency can be tuned to match the ambient vibration frequency, and its voltage/power-generating capability can be improved. An electromechanical model of the PEH is derived based on the Lagrange multiplier method. The model is then used in a harmonic base excitation case study, and the coupled electromechanical outputs are discussed. Simulation results show that the spring-mass attachment can create two resonant frequencies, making the PEH capable of working efficiently at two different frequencies in a low-frequency level. It is also shown that by properly selecting the spring stiffness and the mass, the voltage and power output of the PEH can be greatly increased as compared to a single bimorph without the springmass system.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84884645649&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84884645649&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1115/DETC2012-70220
DO - 10.1115/DETC2012-70220
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84884645649
SN - 9780791845004
T3 - Proceedings of the ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference
SP - 1129
EP - 1135
BT - ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2012
T2 - ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, IDETC/CIE 2012
Y2 - 12 August 2012 through 12 August 2012
ER -