Dynamic Analysis of Bi-Stable Galloping Energy Harvesters Under Random Excitation

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Energy Harvesting
• Vibrational Dynamics

Background:

• Flow-induced vibration energy harvesters are vital for powering low-energy sensors.
• Practical applications expose these harvesters to random external disturbances, necessitating dynamic response analysis.
• Understanding system behavior under stochastic conditions is critical for reliable energy generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamic response of a bi-stable galloping piezoelectric energy harvesting system under random excitations.
• To develop and validate a theoretical framework for analyzing harvester performance in complex environments.
• To identify key parameters influencing the mean-square voltage output.

Main Methods:

• Transformation of a bi-stable galloping piezoelectric energy harvesting system into an equivalent decoupled system using variable transformation.
• Application of the stochastic averaging method (SAM) of an energy envelope to calculate system response.
• Validation of the theoretical model using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations.

Main Results:

• The stochastic averaging method (SAM) provides an accurate prediction of the energy harvester's response to random excitation.
• Key parameters such as noise intensity, aerodynamic coefficient, stiffness coefficient, and wind speed significantly impact the system's dynamic response.
• The theoretical framework's validity was confirmed through comparative simulations.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully models and analyzes the dynamic response of piezoelectric energy harvesters under random disturbances.
• Accurate prediction of system behavior is achievable using the stochastic averaging method (SAM).
• Parameter tuning is essential for optimizing energy harvester performance in real-world applications.