Characterization and implementation of a piezoelectric energy harvester configuration: analytical, numerical and experimental approach

From the last few decades, the piezoelectric materials are playing a vital role in the field of energy harvesting because of their capability to convert mechanical energy from the surroundings into useful electrical energy. In this research, the performance of the piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) in cantilever configuration with varying length and width of the patch as compared to the beam was analyzed. Moreover, the induced voltage and power harvested by the designed PEH are analyzed for the various configurations of piezoelectric patch (PZTp). The effect of length and width of the PZTp and beam is predicted for the energy harvesting phenomenon. The effect of different piezoelectric materials [i.e. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT-5A) and Barium titanate (BaTiO3)] bonded to different non-piezoelectric materials (i.e. Aluminum (Al) and fiberglass) is studied analytically. An analytical model is developed for three different cases to analyze the effect of varying patch length while keeping the length of the beam variable. Finite Element Models to study energy harvesting and modes of vibration for all three cases were developed. The results of the analytical model and numerical model are compared with experimental investigations and are found to agree with a maximum of 22% error. For the designed harvesters, the maximum power output is obtained for the test case in which PZT-5A patch of smaller length is bonded with Al patch of larger length. The analytical, numerical and experimental results depict a similar trend.