VIBRATIONAL ENERGY HARVESTING TO ELECTRIC TRANSDUCTION IN A HIGH EFFICIENCY ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Abstract

The high efficiency vehicles are those utilizes very small quantities of fuel to travel as longer as possible distances. To accomplished the target, it is necessary many efforts to improve mechanical and electrical solutions. This work is related to a project to enhance electrical source in three prototype vehicles projected by Federal Technological University of Parana in Pato Branco. In the vehicle, the electrical energy is used in lights, sensors, displays and motor. The propose of this work is to use an energy harvesting system based in vibration to transduce the induced vibration from the floor and from the engine to the vehicle into electricity to supply the electrical demands of the vehicle and extend the car battery life. Coupled to the harvester it is proposed a controller project to drive the energy harvesting system to an optimized interaction between the external vibrational excitation and harvester resulting in an improved transduction result. It is expected an increase of the vehicle autonomy and a better result in the competition. Keywords: Energy Harvesting, Telemetry, High Efficiency Vehicle, Battery Extension.