Numerical Modeling of Flow-Driven Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices

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.