Wideband vibro-impacting vibration energy harvesting using magnetoelectric transduction

• Published in: Journal of intelligent material systems and structures 2013-07, Vol.24 (11), p.1313-1323
• Main Authors: Moss, Scott D, McLeod, Joshua E, Galea, Steve C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceleration; Applied sciences; Bearing; Bearings, bushings, rolling bearings; Drives; Energy harvesting; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); General equipment and techniques; Harvesting; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Oscillating; Physics; Plugs; Rare earth metals; Servo and control equipment; robots; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Transducers; Vibration, mechanical wave, dynamic stability (aeroelasticity, vibration control...); Wideband
• ISSN: 1045-389X; 1530-8138
• DOI: 10.1177/1045389X12443598

This article reports on proof-of-concept experimental work carried out to demonstrate a wideband vibro-impacting energy harvesting approach based on a magnet/bearing arrangement coupled with a magnetoelectric transducer. The harvesting arrangement uses a Terfenol-D/Pz27 laminate transducer (disc with radius 5 mm) positioned between an oscillating spherical chrome-steel bearing and a rare earth magnet. The oscillating bearing steers magnetic field through the magnetoelectric transducer, generating an oscillating charge that can be harvested. A vibro-impacting arrangement between the oscillating bearing (radius 12.7 mm) and a pair of aluminium mechanical stops is designed to produce a wideband frequency response. For a 434 mG host acceleration, the vibro-impact mechanism produced a bandwidth of ∼7.2 Hz (between 6 and ∼13.2 Hz). The issue of damage to the mechanical stops caused by the vibro-impacting process is also explored and was demonstrated experimentally and theoretically to be inconsequential. This non-optimized wideband harvesting approach has demonstrated a generated power of 3.3 µW from a root mean square host acceleration of 180 m-g at 8.0 Hz.