Paper ID EH024: Modeling and experimental verification of geometry effects on piezoelectric energy harvesters

Abstract

Energy harvesters have gained much attention as renewable energy source applications within wireless sensor technology. Focus has been directed mostly in two realms, maximizing energy output and efficient conversion via energy management circuitry. More analysis is still needed though on the fundamentals of operation in order to optimize for the size and amount of piezoelectric material needed for energy harvester applications. This work extends on the modeling of piezoelectric cantilevers by adding in the geometry of variable cross-sections, exploring standard rectangular designs and configurations with tapers and curvatures. By changing the geometry, a change in the beam strain profile is induced and thus a change in the voltage output. Experimental results are included to show actual performance outputs of each of the designs.