Nonequilibrium potential for linear energy harvester and work relationships

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Nonlinear Dynamics
• Statistical Mechanics

Background:

• Kinetic energy harvesting is crucial for powering small devices.
• Understanding stochastic behavior in harvesters is key for efficiency.
• Non-equilibrium thermodynamics offers novel analytical tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analytically investigate a linear kinetic energy harvester driven by Gaussian noise.
• To explore the harvester's stochastic dynamics and thermodynamic properties.
• To assess the impact of load resistors on harvester performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the nonequilibrium potential (NEP) approach for analysis.
• Performing statistical and thermodynamic analysis to determine stationary probability distributions.
• Employing the energy landscape approach to visualize system behavior.
• Deriving generalized formulations of the Clausius inequality and Jarzynski equation.

Main Results:

• The stationary probability distribution function and its moments were determined.
• The influence of high load resistors on harvester performance was visualized.
• New generalized formulations for key thermodynamic relations were established.

Conclusions:

• The NEP approach provides valuable insights into the stochastic dynamics of kinetic energy harvesters.
• Load resistance significantly impacts harvester performance, as shown by the energy landscape.
• The study extends fundamental thermodynamic principles to driven systems.