Design and performance enhancement of a force-amplified piezoelectric stack energy harvester under pressure fluctuations in hydraulic pipeline systems

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A. Physical. 2020-07, Vol.309, p.112031, Article 112031
• Main Authors: Cao, Dong-Xing, Duan, Xiang-Jian, Guo, Xiang-Ying, Lai, Siu-Kai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amplifiers; Computational fluid dynamics; Dynamic models; Energy conversion efficiency; Energy harvesting; Finite element analysis; Finite element method; Force amplifier; Hydraulic pressure pipeline system; Monitoring systems; Performance enhancement; Piezoelectric stack; Piezoelectricity; Pipelines; Pressure fluctuation; Sensors; Unsteady flow; Vibration; Vibration energy harvesting; Wireless sensor networks
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2020.112031

Schematic and prototype of an enhanced vibration energy harvester An enhanced pressure fluctuation energy harvester is designed to apply for energy harvesting from a hydraulic pressure pipeline system, which can be integrated with health monitoring sensors without the needs of batteries or wired power supplies to individual sensors. The optimized structural parameters are investigated by theoretical simulations and finite element analysis. Experimental studies verify the effects of the force amplifier on the proposed energy harvester. It is found that the force amplifier deployed on the piezoelectric stack can effectively increase the RMS open-circuit voltage output. [Display omitted] •A piezoelectric stack energy harvester is designed for hydraulic pressure pipeline systems.•A force amplifier is designed and optimized to enhance the energy conversion efficiency.•Magnification coefficient is investigated based on a dynamic model.•Optimized structure parameters are studied by theoretical simulations.•FEM and experimental results demonstrate the advantages of the proposed harvester. Pipelines are a safe and environmentally friendly way to convey fluids over a long distance. Pressure fluctuations generated by unsteady flows are a common phenomenon in hydraulic pipeline systems. In this paper, a piezoelectric stack energy harvester is designed to scavenge the vibration energy of pressure fluctuations in pipeline systems, where a force amplifier is introduced as an auxiliary booster to enhance the energy conversion efficiency under low-frequency excitation levels. The device can be integrated with health monitoring sensors to eliminate the needs of batteries or wired power supplies to individual sensors. The working principle of the force amplifier is analyzed by investigating the magnification coefficient based on a dynamic model. The optimized structural parameters are also investigated by theoretical studies. Besides, the finite element model of the force amplifier is also constructed to analyze the magnification coefficient and to validate the theoretical results. Experimental studies are also carried out to identify the effect of the force amplifier on the proposed energy harvester. The results show that there is great potential to realize a self-powered wireless sensor network technology for pipeline monitoring.