Vibration Energy Conversion Power Supply Based on the Piezoelectric Thin Film Planar Array

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Energy Harvesting

Background:

• Vibration energy harvesting (VEH) is crucial for powering low-power micro/nano-devices.
• Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) based VEH often suffers from low output power and efficiency due to material limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a vibration energy conversion power supply with enhanced output power and efficiency.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional PVDF-based VEH systems.

Main Methods:

• Designed a VEH incorporating a PVDF piezoelectric thin film planar array and an energy harvesting circuit.
• Validated the design using COMSOL for structural dynamics simulations and Multisim for equivalent circuit modeling.
• Conducted experimental tests under specific vibration conditions (75 Hz-2.198 g).

Main Results:

• Circuit simulations showed output current doubling and charging period halving with each doubling of array groups.
• Solid mechanics simulations confirmed the planar array structure optimizes vibration wave consistency for enhanced circuit performance.
• Experimental results demonstrated a 11.69 times increase in maximum charging power compared to a single film, charging a 22 V-0.022 F ultracapacitor to 5 V in 24 min.

Conclusions:

• The developed planar array VEH significantly enhances power output and charging efficiency.
• This technology offers a viable battery replacement for low-power electronics in vibrating environments.
• Potential to reduce maintenance costs and environmental pollution associated with traditional power sources.