Promoting smart cities into the 5G era with multi-field Internet of Things (IoT) applications powered with advanced mechanical energy harvesters

Recent advances in cellulose-based flexible triboelectric nanogenerators

Self-sustained autonomous wireless sensing based on a hybridized TENG and PEG vibration mechanism

Flourishing energy harvesters for future body sensor network: from single to multiple energy sources

Breeze-driven triboelectric nanogenerator for wind energy harvesting and application in smart agriculture

This paper proposes a design of wireless sensor node powered by piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting system. A complete system level coupling circuit model is established to predict the performance characteristics. The piezoelectric vibration energy harvester (PVEH) is based on a PZT bimorph cantilever, in which a big proof mass is introduced to decrease resonant frequency and a shell served as a stopper to avoid overload. Lumped parameters of the model are identified by experiments and calculations. Electromechanical analogy model of PVEH is simulated in LTspice software. The power consumption of a temperature WSN is tested and the equivalent load model is simulated. A power management circuit (PMC) with LTC3588-1 is designed for rectifying and regulating output of PVEH. Electrical energy is stored in a capacitor. Finally, a system level coupling model is established. Time domain circuit simulation can provide the detailed parameters about the WSN powered by PVEH such as full charge time and sustainable time of the system. Test curves of capacitor charging and WSN power supply in prototype testification show good consistency with the simulation results in LTspice. An application for temperature WSN powered by PVEH is testified as an example. The method and model proposed in this paper can set up a reference to optimize system parameters for WSN powered by PVEH.

System level design of wireless sensor node powered by piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting

Piezoelectric bimorph cantilever is a typical structure for vibration energy harvesting. This paper studies the method to improve the accuracy of FEA (finite element analysis) simulation for piezoelectric bimorph cantilever. The COSMOL simulation methods based on 1 D (dimension) model of Euler Bernoulli beam, as well as 2 D and 3 D models of solid mechanics are proposed respectively. Compared with the theory and experiment results given by Erturk A, the influences of 1 D and 3 D piezoelectric material parameters on simulation accuracy in FEA modeling is discussed. The simulation error can be reduced to less than 1.2% by using 1D piezoelectric material parameters in COMSOL simulation, while the maximum simulation error can be up to 28% by using 3D piezoelectric material parameters. Comparing serial and parallel configurations of piezoelectric bimorph cantilever, the output electrical powers, varying with the excitation frequency and load resistance, are also discussed in COMSOL simulation. Performance comparation of three kinds of piezoelectric bimorph cantilevers with tip mass shows that the modelling and simulation in finite element methods by COMSOL are simple and convenient, and are suitable for the electromechanical coupling analysis and optimization of complex topological structures.

/pdf/high-accuracy-comsol-simulation-method-of-bimorph-cantilever-17oaxubmbh.pdf

High accuracy comsol simulation method of bimorph cantilever for piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting

In this paper, a novel resonant pressure sensor is developed based on electrostatic excitation and piezoresistive detection. The measured pressure applied to the diaphragm will cause the resonant frequency shift of the resonator. The working mode stress–frequency theory of a double-ended tuning fork with an enhanced coupling beam is proposed, which is compatible with the simulation and experiment. A unique piezoresistive detection method based on small axially deformed beams with a resonant status is proposed, and other adjacent mode outputs are easily shielded. According to the structure design, high-vacuum wafer-level packaging with different doping in the anodic bonding interface is fabricated to ensure the high quality of the resonator. The pressure sensor chip is fabricated by dry/wet etching, high-temperature silicon bonding, ion implantation, and wafer-level anodic bonding. The results show that the fabricated sensor has a measuring sensitivity of ~19 Hz/kPa and a nonlinearity of 0.02% full scale in the pressure range of 0–200 kPa at a full temperature range of −40 to 80 °C. The sensor also shows a good quality factor >25,000, which demonstrates the good vacuum performance. Thus, the feasibility of the design is a commendable solution for high-accuracy pressure measurements. The operating principle and experimental realization of a new piezoresistive resonant pressure sensor are shown. Resonant pressure sensors rely on changes in applied pressure to a diaphragm to cause the resonant frequency of the resonator to change. This enables high stability and signal-to-noise ratios, combined with a quasi-digital output; resultantly, resonant pressure sensors are often used in critical applications such as aerospace and for instrument calibration. Here, a team led by Zhuangde Jiang from Xi’an Jiaotong University, China, report a piezoresistive detection-based resonant pressure sensor. They establish the theory for their device operation, verified by both simulations and experiments. Their device shows an accuracy better than 0.02% FS and a resonant quality factor greater than 25,000.

/pdf/novel-resonant-pressure-sensor-based-on-piezoresistive-22tac8e4kt.pdf

Novel resonant pressure sensor based on piezoresistive detection and symmetrical in-plane mode vibration.

Broadband low-frequency vibration and shock energies are ubiquitous such as biomechanical motion, which can be harvested to power wearable electronics. This paper proposes a compact design of V-shaped piezoelectric vibration energy harvester (V-PVEH) with impact stopper. To demonstrate V-PVEH having high power density, Euler beam model is proposed for qualitative comparison between V-PVEH and cantilevered piezoelectric vibration energy harvester (C-PVEH). FEA model in COMSOL for V-PVEH structure design is proposed especially for the stress check. Modal analysis, two bimorphs connection style, tip mass thickness, and acceleration amplitude are discussed in the experimental vibration validation. A peak voltage of 11.5 V at a low resonant frequency of 12 Hz and a maximum power of 0.442 mW are shown in experiments under the excitation of 0.1 g. A lumped parameters model with nonlinearity analysis for impact induced broadband and shock input is discussed comprehensively. The stopper design in V-PVEH can not only limit the vibration amplitude and prevent overload, but also form broadband of 8−15 Hz and generate large voltage output of 5−19 V when impact occurs at an acceleration of 0.4 g. Except for resonating excitation, biomechanical shock energy harvesting with ultra-low frequency of 1 Hz is testified for wearable V-PVEH to charge a 10 μF capacitor to 10 V in 5 s by stamping feet. Above all, V-PVEH with stopper is believed to show good performance in broadband low-frequency vibration and biomechanical shock energy harvesting.

Ping Yang

Papers

Self-sustained autonomous wireless sensing based on a hybridized TENG and PEG vibration mechanism

System level design of wireless sensor node powered by piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting

High accuracy comsol simulation method of bimorph cantilever for piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting

Novel resonant pressure sensor based on piezoresistive detection and symmetrical in-plane mode vibration.

Modeling and design of V-shaped piezoelectric vibration energy harvester with stopper for low-frequency broadband and shock excitation