A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester
This paper proposes a versatile model for optimizing the performance of a rectangular cantilever beam piezoelectric energy harvester used to convert ambient vibrations into electrical energy. The developed model accounts for geometric changes to the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping in th...
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| Format: | Article |
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IOP Publishing
2011
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49949/ |
| _version_ | 1848798117556649984 |
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| author | Patel, R. McWilliam, S. Popov, A.A. |
| author_facet | Patel, R. McWilliam, S. Popov, A.A. |
| author_sort | Patel, R. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper proposes a versatile model for optimizing the performance of a rectangular cantilever beam piezoelectric energy harvester used to convert ambient vibrations into electrical energy. The developed model accounts for geometric changes to the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping in the structure. This is achieved through the combination of finite element modelling and a distributed parameter electromechanical model, including load resistor and charging capacitor models. The model has the potential for use in investigating the influence of numerous geometric changes on harvester performance, and incorporates a model for accounting for changes in damping as the geometry changes. The model is used to investigate the effects of substrate and piezoelectric layer length, and piezoelectric layer thickness on the performance of a microscale device. Findings from a parameter study indicate the existence of an optimum sample length due to increased mechanical damping for longer beams and improved power output using thicker piezoelectric layers. In practice, harvester design is normally based around a fixed operating frequency for a particular application, and improved performance is often achieved by operating at or near resonance. To achieve unbiased comparisons between different harvester designs, parameter studies are performed by changing multiple parameters simultaneously with the natural frequency held fixed. Performance enhancements were observed using shorter piezoelectric layers as compared to the conventional design, in which the piezoelectric layer and substrate are of equal length. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:14:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-49949 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:14:40Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-499492020-05-04T16:30:42Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49949/ A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester Patel, R. McWilliam, S. Popov, A.A. This paper proposes a versatile model for optimizing the performance of a rectangular cantilever beam piezoelectric energy harvester used to convert ambient vibrations into electrical energy. The developed model accounts for geometric changes to the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping in the structure. This is achieved through the combination of finite element modelling and a distributed parameter electromechanical model, including load resistor and charging capacitor models. The model has the potential for use in investigating the influence of numerous geometric changes on harvester performance, and incorporates a model for accounting for changes in damping as the geometry changes. The model is used to investigate the effects of substrate and piezoelectric layer length, and piezoelectric layer thickness on the performance of a microscale device. Findings from a parameter study indicate the existence of an optimum sample length due to increased mechanical damping for longer beams and improved power output using thicker piezoelectric layers. In practice, harvester design is normally based around a fixed operating frequency for a particular application, and improved performance is often achieved by operating at or near resonance. To achieve unbiased comparisons between different harvester designs, parameter studies are performed by changing multiple parameters simultaneously with the natural frequency held fixed. Performance enhancements were observed using shorter piezoelectric layers as compared to the conventional design, in which the piezoelectric layer and substrate are of equal length. IOP Publishing 2011-06-28 Article PeerReviewed Patel, R., McWilliam, S. and Popov, A.A. (2011) A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester. Smart Materials and Structures, 20 (8). 085004/1-085004/12. ISSN 0964-1726 Energy harvesting Piezoelectric beam Finite element method http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0964-1726/20/8/085004/meta doi:10.1088/0964-1726/20/8/085004 doi:10.1088/0964-1726/20/8/085004 |
| spellingShingle | Energy harvesting Piezoelectric beam Finite element method Patel, R. McWilliam, S. Popov, A.A. A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| title | A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| title_full | A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| title_fullStr | A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| title_full_unstemmed | A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| title_short | A geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| title_sort | geometric parameter study of piezoelectric coverage on a rectangular cantilever energy harvester |
| topic | Energy harvesting Piezoelectric beam Finite element method |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49949/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49949/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49949/ |