Octave boxes inspired energy regularization triboelectric nanogenerator for high-efficient wave energy harvesting

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) show great potential for wave energy harvesting. However, the low frequency and chaotic nature make it difficult for TENGs to generate stable electrical outputs, posing challenges for directly powering electronics and designing universal power management circuits. Inspired by octave boxes’ consistent and steady energy output, we propose a novel energy regularization triboelectric nanogenerator (ER-TENG). Chaotic wave energy is temporarily stored in coil springs by one-way bearings and then converted into a controlled rotation to drive TENG through the synergistic effect of a gear set and a centrifugal speed limiter. The relationship between the rotational speed and the configuration of gear set/centrifugal speed limiter is investigated to optimize the mechanical transmission efficiency. Moreover, the utilization of ternary dielectric materials and multi-layer stacked units enhance the electro-mechanical conversion efficiency, resulting in an average power density of up to 15.67 W m-3. Fast charging of capacitors is achieved through ER-TENG with a simple power management circuit. In practical applications, ER-TENG demonstrates the capability to continuously power offshore appliances. This energy regularization strategy enables TENG to directly output a stable signal, which serves as a significant reference for the development of smart ocean systems.