Time and frequency domain analysis of piezoelectric energy harvesters by monolithic finite element modeling

in International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering (2017)

The successful design of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices relies upon the identification of optimal geometrical and material configurations to maximize the power output for a specific band of ... [more ▼]

The successful design of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices relies upon the identification of optimal geometrical and material configurations to maximize the power output for a specific band of excitation frequencies. Extendable predictive models and associated approximate solution methods are essential for analysis of a wide variety of future advanced energy harvesting devices involving more complex geometries and material distributions. Based on a holistic continuum mechanics modeling approach to the multi-physics energy harvesting problem, this article proposes a monolithic numerical solution scheme using a mixed-hybrid 3-dimensional finite element formulation of the coupled governing equations for analysis in time and frequency domain. The weak form of the electromechanical/circuit system uses velocities and potential rate within the piezoelectric structure, free boundary charge on the electrodes, and potential at the level of the generic electric circuit as global degrees of freedom. The approximation of stress and dielectric displacement follows the work by Pian, Sze, and Pan. Results obtained with the proposed model are compared with analytical results for the reduced-order model of a cantilevered bimorph harvester with tip mass reported in the literature. The flexibility of the method is demonstrated by studying the influence of partial electrode coverage on the generated power output. [less ▲]

Numerical Modeling of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices Driven by Flow-Induced VIbrations

Doctoral thesis (2017)

Numerical Modeling of Flow-Driven Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters

Scientific Conference (2016, June 09)

A specific class of energy harvester devices for renewable energy resources is investigated, that allow conversion of ambient fluid flow energy to electrical energy via flow-induced vibrations of a piezo ... [more ▼]

A specific class of energy harvester devices for renewable energy resources is investigated, that allow conversion of ambient fluid flow energy to electrical energy via flow-induced vibrations of a piezo-ceramic composite structure positioned in the flow field [3,4]. In this way, potentially harmful flow fluctuations are harnessed to provide independent power supply to small electrical devices. In order to harvest energy from fluid flows by means of piezoelectric materials the kinetic energy of the fluid first has to be transformed to cyclic straining energy of the piezoelectric material which is then transformed to electrical energy under the presence of an attached electrical circuit representing the powered electrical device or charged battery. This energy converter technology simultaneously involves the interaction of a composite structure and a surrounding fluid, the electric charge accumulated in the piezo-ceramic material and a controlling electrical circuit. In order to predict the efficiency and operational properties of such future devices and to increase their robustness and performance, a mathematical and numerical model of the complex physical system is required to allow systematic computational investigation of the involved phenomena and coupling characteristics. The research is devoted to introducing a monolithic approach that provides simultaneous modeling and analysis of the coupled energy harvester, which involves surface-coupled fluid-structure interaction, volume-coupled piezoelectric mechanics and a controlling energy harvesting circuit for applications in energy harvesting. The weak form of the governing equations is discretized by the space-time finite element method based on a mixed velocity-stress/rate form of the potential-dielectric displacement framework. The space-time finite element [2,3] model incorporates a novel method to enforce equipotentiality on the electrodes covering the piezoelectric patches, making the charge unknowns naturally appear in the formulation. This enables to adapt any type of electrical circuit added to the electromechanical problem. To validate the formulation, the case of piezoelectric triple layer EHD driven by base excitations, as described in [1] is chosen. The closed-form solution from [1] is compared to numerical solution proposed in this work. The variation of the electric potential through the thickness of the piezoelectric patch, assumed to be linear in many closed-form solutions, is shown to be quadratic in nature. The research contributes to the mathematical modeling and numerical discretization of complex multi- physics system in an efficient way which facilitates an ideal basis for precise and transient coupling. This may lead to improved convergence and numerical efficiency in comparison with portioned approaches. This methodology also provides new insights and in-depth understanding on design requirements on such energy harvesting devices in terms of their robustness and efficiency. [less ▲]

Numerical Modeling of Flow-Driven Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices

in Ibrahimbegovic, Adnan (Ed.) Computational Methods for Solids and Fluids (2016)

The present work proposes uniform and simultaneous computational analysis of smart, low power energy harvesting devices targeting flow-induced vibrations in order to enable reliable sensitivity ... [more ▼]

The present work proposes uniform and simultaneous computational analysis of smart, low power energy harvesting devices targeting flow-induced vibrations in order to enable reliable sensitivity, robustness and efficiency studies of the associated nonlinear system involving fluid, structure, piezo-ceramics and electric circuit. The article introduces a monolithic approach that provides simultaneous modeling and analysis of the coupled energy harvester, which involves surface-coupled fluid-structure interaction, volume-coupled piezoelectric mechanics and a controlling energy harvesting circuit for applications in energy harvesting. A space-time finite element approximation is used for the numerical solution of the governing equations of the flow-driven piezoelectric energy harvesting device. This method enables modeling of different types of structures (plate, shells) with varying cross sections and material compositions, and different types of simple and advanced harvesting circuits. [less ▲]

Numerical simulation of energy harvesting devices driven by fluid-structure interaction

Scientific Conference (2015, June)

A specific class of piezo-electric energy harvesting devices for renewable energy resources is investigated. The key idea is to invert the traditional intention of engineers to avoid flow-induced ... [more ▼]

A specific class of piezo-electric energy harvesting devices for renewable energy resources is investigated. The key idea is to invert the traditional intention of engineers to avoid flow-induced excitation of structures such, that flow-induced vibrations can successfully be controlled and utilised in order to provide independent power supply to small-scale electrical devices. Possible application are e.g. micro electro-mechanical systems, monitoring sensors at remote locations or even in-vivo medical devices with the advantage of increased independence on local energy storage and reduced maintenance effort. This energy converter technology involves transient boundary-coupled fluid-structure interaction, volume-coupled piezo-electric-mechanics as well as a controlling electric circuit simultaneously. In order to understand the phenomenology and to increase robustness and performance of such devices, a mathematical and numerical model of the transient strongly-coupled non-linear multi-physics system is developed for systematic computational analyses. On basis of numerical investigations of the overall system optimal designs of the flow-induced vibrating piezo-electric energy harvester shall be identified with respect to electric power supply under varying exterior conditions. Vortex-induced excitations of a cantilever piezo-electric plate are exemplarily considered for studies on robustness and efficiency. [less ▲]

Numerical Modelling of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices Driven by Flow-Induced Vibrations

Scientific Conference (2014, July)

Numerical Modelling of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices

Scientific Conference (2013)

This paper introduces a monolithic approach that provides simultaneous modeling and analysis of the coupled energy harvester, which involves surface-coupled fluid-structure interaction, volume-coupled ... [more ▼]

This paper introduces a monolithic approach that provides simultaneous modeling and analysis of the coupled energy harvester, which involves surface-coupled fluid-structure interaction, volume-coupled piezoelectric mechanics and a controlling energy harvesting circuit for applications in energy harvesting. The weak form of the governing equations is discretized by the space-time finite element method based on a mixed velocity-stress/rate form of the potential-dielectric displacement framework. The results will be compared to the simple cases with closed-form solution available from literature. [less ▲]