Effect of subgrade on piezoelectric energy harvesting under traffic loads

Piezoelectric energy harvesting in roads generated by traffic loads was theoretically and experimentally investigated, and an indoor model of a layered road for piezoelectric transformation was developed using the traffic load model groove. Elastic double-layer beams resting on the subgrade soil were used to consider piezoelectric energy harvesting under traffic loads. Based on the vibration differential equations of elastic double-layer beams, the electromechanical equation was obtained using the Fourier transform. The experimental results of the piezoelectric energy harvesting were close to the theoretical ones, which indicated that the proposed method was useful in predicting piezoelectric energy harvesting from roads under traffic loads. The results also show that the influence of the transducer position on the output voltage and power should be considered, and that the thickness of the concrete panel and the condition of the subgrade soil can affect the output voltage and output power of the piezoelectric transducer. Moreover, the electrical energy was proportional to the vibration frequency and the excitation load.     

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of CeO2-added nonstoichiometric (Na0.5K0.5)0.97(Nb0.96Sb0.04)O3 ceramics for piezoelectric energy harvesting device applications

In this study, nonstoichiometric (Na(0.5)K(0.5))(0.97)(Nb(0.96)Sb(0.04))O(3) ceramics were fabricated and their dielectric and piezoelectric properties were investigated according to the CeO(2) addition. In this ceramic composition, CeO(2) addition improved sinterability, electromechanical coupling factor k(p), mechanical quality factor Q(m), piezoelectric constant d(33), and g(33). At the sintering temperature of 1100°C, for the 0.2wt% CeO(2) added specimen, the optimum values of density = 4.359 g/cm(3), k(p) = 0.443, Q(m) = 588, ε(r) = 444, d(33) = 159 pC/N, and g(33) = 35 × 10(-3) V·m/N, were obtained. A piezoelectric energy harvesting device using 0.2 wt% CeO(2)- added lead-free (K(0.5)Na(0.5))(0.97)(Nb(0.96)Sb(0.04))O(3) ceramics and a rectifying circuit for energy harvesting were fabricated and their electrical characteristics were investigated. Under an external vibration acceleration of 0.7 g, when the mass, the frequency of vibration generator, and matching load resistance were 2.4 g, 70 Hz, and 721 Ω, respectively, output voltage and power of piezoelectric harvesting device indicated the optimum values of 24.6 mV(rms) and 0.839 μW, respectively-suitable for application as the electric power source of a ubiquitous sensor network (USN) sensor node.     

A flex-compressive-mode piezoelectric transducer for mechanical vibration/strain energy harvesting

A piezoelectric transducer for harvesting energy from ambient mechanical vibrations/strains under pressure condition was developed. The proposed transducer was made of two ring-type piezoelectric stacks, one pair of bow-shaped elastic plates, and one shaft that pre-compresses them. This transducer works in flex-compressive (F-C) mode, which is different from a conventional flex-tensional (F-T) one, to transfer a transversely applied force F into an amplified longitudinal force N pressing against the two piezo-stacks via the two bowshaped elastic plates, generating a large electric voltage output via piezoelectric effect. Our experimental results show that without an electric load, an F-C mode piezo-transducer could generate a maximum electric voltage output of up to 110 Vpp, and with an electric load of 40 κΩ, it a maximum power output of 14.6 mW under an acceleration excitation of 1 g peak-peak at the resonance frequency of 87 Hz.     

悬臂梁压电发电装置的实验研究

为了进行压电陶瓷材料发电性能测试与研究,研制了一套悬臂梁压电振子发电系统.设计了悬臂梁压电振子,并对压电振子进行了有限元分析和电导测试.在此基础上,设计了能量存储电路,并在低频下对悬臂梁压电振子发电性能进行了实验研究.研究结果表明,当悬臂梁压电振子处于谐振频率状态下振动时,输出电压和功率达到最大.输出电压随着负载的增大而增大,输出功率并不随着负载的增大而增大;压电振子存在-个最佳阻抗,当负载与最佳阻抗匹配时,此时压电振子的能量转化效率最高且输出功率最大.利用本实验系统进行压电发电实验测试,当负载为50 kΩ时,压电振子输出电压为7 V;当负载电阻为15 kΩ时,此时的输出功率最大可达到1.4 mW,产生的功率可以满足无线传感器等低耗能产品的供能需求.     

A spiral-shaped harvester with an improved harvesting element and an adaptive storage circuit

A piezoelectric energy harvester consists of a spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph to transfer mechanical energy into electric energy, an electrochemical battery to store the scavenged electric energy, and a rectifier together with a step-down dc-dc converter to connect the two components as an integrated system. A spiral-shaped harvesting structure is studied in this paper because it is very useful in the microminiaturization of advanced sensing technology. The aim of employing a step-down dc-dc converter in the storage circuit is to match the optimal output voltage of the piezoelectric bimorph with the battery voltage for efficient charging. In order to raise the output power density of a harvesting element, moreover, we apply a synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI) in parallel with the piezoelectric bimorph to artificially extend the closed-circuit interval of the rectifier. Numerical results show that the introduction of a dc-dc converter in the storage circuit or a SSHI in the harvesting structure can raise the charging efficiency several times higher than a harvester without a dc-dc converter or an SSHI.     

Flextensional ultrasonic piezoelectric micro-motor

This paper presents the experimental design, construction, and operational characteristics of a new type of standing wave piezoelectric ultrasonic micro-motor. The motor uses a composite stator, consisting of a metallic flex-tensional mode converter, or "cymbal", bonded to a 2-mm-square piezoelectric plate. The cymbal converts contour-mode vibrations of the plate into oscillations in the cymbal, perpendicular to the stator plane. These are further converted into rotational movement in a rotor pressed against the cymbal by means of an elastic-fin friction drive to produce the required rotary actuation. The motor operates on a single-phase electrical supply, and direct control of the output speed and torque can be achieved by adjusting the amplitude and frequency of the supply voltage. Noncontact optical techniques were used to assess the performance of the developed micro-motor. The operational characteristics were developed from the acceleration and deceleration characteristics. No-load output speed (11 rev s(-1)) and stall torque (27 nNm) were derived using high-speed imaging and image analysis. Maximum efficiency was 0.6%.     

基于脉冲液流换能器的振动能量回收原理与实验研究

针对自供电磁流变阻尼调节系统的能量供给问题,提出基于脉冲液流换能器的振动能量回收方法,通过振动能-液流能-机械能-电能的变换,实现振动能量回收。建立了基于齿轮马达、飞轮和永磁发动机的脉冲液流换能器分析模型,利用Matlab软件对正弦振动下换能器的电压输出特性、功率转换特性和转换效率进行仿真。为验证理论分析的正确性,设计制作了基于脉冲液流换能器的振动能量回收装置,利用J95-I减振器测试台上对振动能量回收装置实验测试,比较了正弦激励条件下换能器的理论电压特性与实测电压特性、理论转换效率与实验转换效率。实验研究表明,脉冲液流换能器是能够实现振动能量的转换,在带30 负载情况下,效率可以达到 46.85%,平均输出功率可以达到37.4W。     

Composite piezoelectric transducer with truncated conical endcaps“cymbal”

This paper presents original results obtained in the development of the moonie-type transducers for actuator applications. The moonie-type actuators fill the gap between multilayer and bimorph actuators, but its position-dependent displacement and low generative force are unacceptable for certain applications. The moonie transducers were modified systematically by using finite element analysis combined with experimental techniques. A new transducer design, named “cymbal transducer”, was developed with larger displacement, larger generative forces, and more cost-effective manufacturing. The cymbal transducers consist of a cylindrical ceramic element sandwiched between two truncated conical metal endcaps and can be used as both sensors and actuators. The cymbal actuator exhibits almost 40 times higher displacement than the same size of ceramic element. Effective piezoelectric charge coefficient, Eff. d₃₃, of cymbal is roughly 40 times higher than PZT itself     

Cymbal压电发电换能器有限元分析

通过建立Cymbal压电发电换能器的机电耦合有限元分析模型,计算分析了换能器结构参数对输出电压和谐振频率的影响以及外接负载对Cymbal换能器输出电压和输出功率的影响。研究表明,为了降低换能器的工作频率和提高换能器的输出电压,应增大换能器的空腔底部直径和减小换能器的空腔高度;在选择金属端冒和压电陶瓷厚度等参数时,应综合考虑换能器系统的刚度和外界振动源的频率特性和加速度特性;在任意一个频率点上,Cymbal换能器均存在一个最佳的外接负载,使得换能器的输出功率最大,而这个最佳的负载阻抗就等于Cymbal换能器在这个工作频率点上的输出阻抗。文中还提出并分析了基于外加预应力的多振子级联方式Cymbal压电发电换能器系统的结构。     

Double synchronized switch harvesting (DSSH): a new energy harvesting scheme for efficient energy extraction

This paper presents a new technique for optimized energy harvesting using piezoelectric microgenerators called double synchronized switch harvesting (DSSH). This technique consists of a nonlinear treatment of the output voltage of the piezoelectric element. It also integrates an intermediate switching stage that ensures an optimal harvested power whatever the load connected to the microgenerator. Theoretical developments are presented considering either constant vibration magnitude, constant driving force, or independent extraction. Then experimental measurements are carried out to validate the theoretical predictions. This technique exhibits a constant output power for a wide range of load connected to the microgenerator. In addition, the extracted power obtained using such a technique allows a gain up to 500% in terms of maximal power output compared with the standard energy harvesting method. It is also shown that such a technique allows a fine-tuning of the trade-off between vibration damping and energy harvesting.     

A new-style, slotted-cymbal transducer with large displacement and high energy transmission

The cymbal transducer had more improved performances than the moonie transducer, but as with the moonie end caps, flexural motion of the cymbal end caps would cause high-tangential stresses, which could lead to loss of mechanical output energy. So, a new-style design, called slotted-cymbal transducer, is presented in this paper. The slotted-cymbal transducer released the tangential stresses by adopting a new-style, radial-slotted cymbal end caps. Through theoretical calculation and finite element analysis in collaboration with measurements, the slotted-cymbal transducer was demonstrated to possess high performances of displacement and energy transmission. This design would decrease the fundamental resonance frequencies of systems by different numbers of slots, and it would have more potential applications of low frequency and large displacement.     

宽频压电振动能量采集器的力-电输出特性分析

压电振动能量采集器是一种新型的力(加速度)-电耦合转换输出器件,为了提高单自由度悬臂梁压电振动能量采集器的输出功率和工作频带,通过在单自由度悬臂梁压电振动能量采集器模型基础上增加一个弹性放大器的方法,构造形成了具有两自由度的宽频压电振动能量采集器。利用ANSYS有限元软件建立了宽频压电能量采集器的有限元力-电耦合模型,数值分析了模型中各参数(如质量比、阻尼比以及负载电阻等)对系统力特性(速度、加速度等)和电输出特性(电压、电流、输出功率等)的影响。研究结果表明：大的质量比和小的阻尼比能够提高压电悬臂梁能量采集器的输出功率并拓展其工作频带;短路谐振状态下的匹配电阻能够使能量采集器产生较大的输出电流,而开路谐振状态的匹配电阻能够使能量采集器产生较大的输出电压,优化后的短路谐振和开路谐振最大输出功率分别达到4386.5 mW/g2和4263.4 mW/g2。频带宽度达到10 Hz,且是SDOF系统的5倍。     

Cymbal and BB underwater transducers and arrays

The cymbal is a miniaturized class V flextensional transducer that was developed for use as a shallow water sound projector and receiver. Single elements are characterized by high Q, low efficiency, and medium power output capability. Its low cost and thin profile allow the transducer to be assembled into large flexible arrays. Efforts were made to model both single elements and arrays using the ATILA code and the integral equation formulation (EQI). Millimeter size microprobe hydrophones (BBs) have been designed and fabricated from miniature piezoelectric hollow ceramic spheres for underwater applications such as mapping acoustic fields of projectors, and flow noise sensors for complex underwater structures. Green spheres are prepared from soft lead zirconate titanate powders using a coaxial nozzle slurry process. A compact hydrophone with a radially-poled sphere is investigated using inside and outside electrodes. Characterization of these hydrophones is done through measurement of hydrostatic piezoelectric charge coefficients, free field voltage sensitivities and directivity beam patterns. Electronic Publication     

Single crystals and nonlinear process for outstanding vibration-powered electrical generators

This paper compares the performances of vibration-powered electrical generators using a piezoelectric ceramic and a piezoelectric single crystal associated to several power conditioning circuits. A new approach of the piezoelectric power conversion based on a nonlinear voltage processing is presented, leading to three novel high performance power conditioning interfaces. Theoretical predictions and experimental results show that the nonlinear processing technique may increase the power harvested by a factor of 8 compared to standard techniques. Moreover, it is shown that, for a given energy harvesting technique, generators using single crystals deliver 20 times more power than generators using piezoelectric ceramics.     

Modeling and fabrication of a piezoelectric vibration‐induced micro power generator

Abstract

In this paper, theoretical and experimental study on a piezoelectric vibration‐induced micro power generator that can convert mechanical vibration energy into electrical energy is presented. The mechanical‐electrical energy conversion mechanism is a voltage between two capacitors, which belong to the mechanical and the piezoelectric equivalent circuits, respectively. To verify the theoretical analysis, two clusters of transducer structures are fabricated. Piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material is chosen to make the energy conversion transducer. The desired shape of the piezoelectric generator with its resonance frequency in accordance with the ambient vibration source is designed by finite element analysis (FEA).

Experimental results show that the maximum output voltages are generated at the first mode resonance frequencies of the structure. The overall conversion efficiency is measured to be 33%. The experimental results coincide with the theoretical analysis.     

Design and fabrication of a 40-MHz annular array transducer

This paper investigates the feasibility of fabricating a five-ring, focused annular array transducer operating at 40 MHz. The active piezoelectric material of the transducer was a 9-microm thick polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film. One side of the PVDF was metallized with gold and forms the ground plane of the transducer. The array pattern of the transducer and electrical traces to each annulus were formed on a copper-clad polyimide film. The PVDF and polyimide were bonded with a thin layer of epoxy, pressed into a spherically curved shape, then back filled with epoxy. A five-ring transducer with equal area elements and 100-microm kerfs between annuli was fabricated and tested. The transducer had a total aperture of 6 mm and a geometric focus of 12 mm. The pulse/echo response from a quartz plate located at the geometric focus, two-way insertion loss (IL), complex impedance, electrical crosstalk, and lateral beamwidth all were measured for each annulus. The complex impedance data from each element were used to perform electrical matching, and the measurements were repeated. After impedance matching; fc approximately equal to 36 MHz and -6-dB bandwidths ranged from 31 to 39%. The ILs for the matched annuli ranged from -28 to -38 dB.     

钹式压电复合换能器的有限元分析

主要运用轴对称薄壳截锥单元的有限元分析方法，对钹式压电复合换能器的工作模式进行分析，并计算出在电场的作用下，钹式压电复合换能器的纵向位移，以及纵向位移与端帽及压电陶瓷形状参数的关系，并与试验结果进行对比。     

Electrical power generation characteristics of PZT piezoelectric ceramics

The electrical power generation characteristics of Mn-doped PZT ceramics responding to slow mechanical stress as well as to impact stress have been investigated. Although both the slow and impact stresses induce a reversible electrical response, the generation properties are distinctly different. Slow stress releases two output current peaks with opposite directions, responding to the increasing and decreasing part of the stress, respectively. However, impact stress produces a nearly one-directional signal. The output charge and energy by slow stress are found to be two orders of magnitude higher than that produced by impact stress. This work shows that the energy conversion efficiency of piezoelectric ceramics strongly depends on the method of stress application.     

Nonlinear interface between the piezoelectric harvesting structure and the modulating circuit of an energy harvester with a real storage battery

This paper studies the performance of an energy harvester with a piezoelectric bimorph (PB) and a real electrochemical battery (ECB), both are connected as an integrated system through a rectified dc-dc converter (DDC). A vibrating PB can scavenge energy from the operating environment by the electromechanical coupling. A DDC can effectively match the optimal output voltage of the harvesting structure to the battery voltage. To raise the output power density of PB, a synchronized switch harvesting inductor (SSHI) is used in parallel with the harvesting structure to reverse the voltage through charge transfer between the output electrodes at the transition moments from closed-to open-circuit. Voltage reversal results in earlier arrival of rectifier conduction because the output voltage phases of any two adjacent closed-circuit states are just opposite each other. In principle, a PB is with a smaller, flexural stiffness under closed-circuit condition than under open-circuit condition. Thus, the PB subjected to longer closed-circuit condition will be easier to be accelerated. A larger flexural velocity makes the PB to deflect with larger amplitude, which implies that more mechanical energy will be converted into an electric one. Nonlinear interface between the vibrating PB and the modulating circuit is analyzed in detail, and the effects of SSHI and DDC on the charging efficiency of the storage battery are researched numerically. It was found that the introduction of a DDC in the modulating circuit and an SSHI in the harvesting structure can raise the charging efficiency by several times.     

Hybrid multi/single layer array transducers for increased signal-to-noise ratio

In medical ultrasound imaging, two-dimensional (2-D) array transducers are necessary to implement dynamic focusing in two dimensions, phase correction in two dimensions and high speed volumetric imaging. However, the small size of a 2-D array element results in a small clamped capacitance and a large electrical impedance, which decreases the transducer signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We have previously shown that SNR is improved using transducers made from multi-layer PZT, due to their lower electrical impedance. In this work, we hypothesize that SNR is further increased using a hybrid array configuration: in the transmit mode, a 10 Omega electronic transmitter excites a 10 Omega multi-layer array element; in the receive mode, a single layer element drives a high impedance preamplifier located in the transducer handle. The preamplifier drives the coaxial cable connected to the ultrasound scanner. For comparison, the following control configuration was used: in the transmit mode, a 50 Omega source excites a single layer element, and in the receive mode, a single layer element drives a coaxial cable load. For a 5x102 hybrid array operating at 7.5 MHz, maximum transmit output power was obtained with 9 PZT layers according to the KLM transmission line model. In this case, the simulated pulse-echo SNR was improved by 23.7 dB for the hybrid configuration compared to the control. With such dramatic improvement in pulse-echo SNR, low voltage transmitters can be used. These can be fabricated on integrated circuits and incorporated into the transducer handle.