Response Surface Methodology Analysis of Energy Harvesting System over Pathway Tiles

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Harvesting Technologies
• Applied Physics

Background:

• Piezoelectric materials, specifically lead zirconate titanate (PZT), offer potential for energy harvesting applications.
• Optimizing the configuration and application of PZT-based tiles is crucial for maximizing harvested energy.
• Existing methods for PZT tile optimization require further investigation for practical energy harvesting systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally and theoretically analyze the optimization of PZT-based tiles for enhanced energy harvesting.
• To determine the optimal configuration of PZT sensors for maximizing power output under mechanical stress.
• To develop a predictive model for PZT tile performance in energy harvesting applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PZT-based tiles using an array of piezoelectric sensors on a hard cardboard substrate.
• Experimental testing to measure power output under varying mechanical loads (footsteps) and tapping frequencies.
• Theoretical analysis using Design-Expert software and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to model and optimize PZT tile parameters.

Main Results:

• Experimental analysis yielded an optimized power of 3.626 mW per footstep (85 kg load, 36 sensors) and 0.9 mW for 30 footsteps at high tapping frequency.
• Theoretical analysis using RSM predicted a power output of 6784.155 mW (150 kg load, 34 sensors).
• A quadratic model demonstrated a high correlation (R2 values of 0.9916 and 0.9650) between actual and predicted power generation.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully optimized PZT-based tiles for energy harvesting through combined experimental and theoretical approaches.
• The developed mathematical model provides a reliable method for predicting and optimizing power output based on input factors.
• Findings offer valuable insights for selecting optimal PZT tile configurations in pavement design for efficient energy harvesting.