Dual-mode arrayed vibration-wind piezoelectric energy harvester

Abstract

Piezoelectric patches are extensively utilized in sensor technology and energy harvesting owing to their uncomplicated design. This research proposes a dual-mode arrayed piezoelectric energy harvester for the efficient harvesting of vibrational and wind energy from the environment. This research elucidates the structure and operational principle of the dual-mode arrayed vibration-wind piezoelectric energy harvester. The theoretical model of the proposed energy harvester was meticulously derived, followed by a Comsol simulation of its piezoelectric electrical performance, and a Fluent simulation study of the natural wind disturbance flow was established. The wind energy harvesting test bench was constructed to carry out the wind energy harvesting assessment. The vibration tests of the sinusoidal sweep frequency, fixed frequency, and railroad spectrum of the energy harvester were conducted using the shaker. The results indicate that the simulated resonance frequencies nearly align with the measured resonance frequencies, and the large voltage output of the harvester varies from 6 to 20 Hz, enhanced by the coupling effect of the magnet’s restoring force. The feasibility of the energy harvester for energizing low-power consumption devices was validated under the measured rail acceleration. The dual-mode arrayed vibration-wind piezoelectric energy harvester presented in this research offers a solution for the self-powered sensors used in freight train hook force detection and plateau intelligent agriculture.