Experimental Study on an Inclined Cylindrical Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

Area of Science:

• Energy harvesting
• Vibrational energy conversion
• Piezoelectric materials

Background:

• Sustainable power is crucial for the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor networks.
• Piezoelectric energy harvesters using vortex-induced vibrations are suitable for low-wind-speed applications.
• Existing harvesters face challenges with limited bandwidth and wind speed sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel multi-parameter adjustable piezoelectric energy harvester.
• To improve performance by addressing bandwidth limitations and wind speed sensitivity.
• To enhance energy conversion efficiency for low-power devices.

Main Methods:

• Designed a piezoelectric energy harvester with an inclined cylindrical bluff body.
• Systematically tuned the inclination angle and installation position.
• Conducted experimental analysis to evaluate performance.

Main Results:

• Achieved substantial performance improvements through optimized configurations.
• Observed wider operational frequency bands and enhanced energy conversion efficiency.
• Identified double-peak and plateau phenomena, with the second peak voltage reaching 122.4% of the first and a plateau phase sustained between 2.3 m/s and 5.7 m/s wind speeds.

Conclusions:

• The proposed adjustable piezoelectric energy harvester effectively overcomes limitations of traditional designs.
• Optimized inclination angles and installation positions lead to superior performance.
• The device demonstrates potential for reliable power supply in variable low-wind-speed environments.