Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks

The development of wearable devices and remote sensor networks progressively relies on their increased power autonomy, which can be further expanded by replacing conventional power sources, characterized by limited lifetimes, with energy harvesting systems. Due to its pervasiveness, kinetic energy i...

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Autores principales:	Petar Gljušćić, Saša Zelenika
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	piezoelectric energy harvesters medical sensor networks DoE frequency up-conversion optimized geometry FE numerical modelling Chemical technology TP1-1185
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/9724bff441d14a62b042458bd7bb305d
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:9724bff441d14a62b042458bd7bb305d2021-11-11T19:04:19ZExperimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks10.3390/s212170421424-8220https://doaj.org/article/9724bff441d14a62b042458bd7bb305d2021-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/21/7042https://doaj.org/toc/1424-8220The development of wearable devices and remote sensor networks progressively relies on their increased power autonomy, which can be further expanded by replacing conventional power sources, characterized by limited lifetimes, with energy harvesting systems. Due to its pervasiveness, kinetic energy is considered as one of the most promising energy forms, especially when combined with the simple and scalable piezoelectric approach. The integration of piezoelectric energy harvesters, generally in the form of bimorph cantilevers, with wearable and remote sensors, highlighted a drawback of such a configuration, i.e., their narrow operating bandwidth. In order to overcome this disadvantage while maximizing power outputs, optimized cantilever geometries, developed using the design of experiments approach, are analysed and combined in this work with frequency up-conversion excitation that allows converting random kinetic ambient motion into a periodical excitation of the harvester. The developed optimised designs, all with the same harvesters’ footprint area of 23 × 15 mm, are thoroughly analysed via coupled harmonic and transient numerical analyses, along with the mostly neglected strength analyses. The models are validated experimentally via innovative experimental setups. The thus-proposed <i>ϕ</i> = 50 mm watch-like prototype allows, by using a rotating flywheel, the collection of low-frequency (ca. 1 to 3 Hz) human kinetic energy, and the periodic excitation of the optimized harvesters that, oscillating at their eigenfrequencies (~325 to ~930 Hz), display specific power outputs improved by up to 5.5 times, when compared to a conventional rectangular form, with maximal power outputs of up to >130 mW and average power outputs of up to >3 mW. These power levels should amply satisfy the requirements of factual wearable medical systems, while providing also an adaptability to accommodate several diverse sensors. All of this creates the preconditions for the development of novel autonomous wearable devices aimed not only at sensor networks for remote patient monitoring and telemedicine, but, potentially, also for IoT and structural health monitoring.Petar GljušćićSaša ZelenikaMDPI AGarticlepiezoelectric energy harvestersmedical sensor networksDoEfrequency up-conversionoptimized geometryFE numerical modellingChemical technologyTP1-1185ENSensors, Vol 21, Iss 7042, p 7042 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	piezoelectric energy harvesters medical sensor networks DoE frequency up-conversion optimized geometry FE numerical modelling Chemical technology TP1-1185
spellingShingle	piezoelectric energy harvesters medical sensor networks DoE frequency up-conversion optimized geometry FE numerical modelling Chemical technology TP1-1185 Petar Gljušćić Saša Zelenika Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks
description	The development of wearable devices and remote sensor networks progressively relies on their increased power autonomy, which can be further expanded by replacing conventional power sources, characterized by limited lifetimes, with energy harvesting systems. Due to its pervasiveness, kinetic energy is considered as one of the most promising energy forms, especially when combined with the simple and scalable piezoelectric approach. The integration of piezoelectric energy harvesters, generally in the form of bimorph cantilevers, with wearable and remote sensors, highlighted a drawback of such a configuration, i.e., their narrow operating bandwidth. In order to overcome this disadvantage while maximizing power outputs, optimized cantilever geometries, developed using the design of experiments approach, are analysed and combined in this work with frequency up-conversion excitation that allows converting random kinetic ambient motion into a periodical excitation of the harvester. The developed optimised designs, all with the same harvesters’ footprint area of 23 × 15 mm, are thoroughly analysed via coupled harmonic and transient numerical analyses, along with the mostly neglected strength analyses. The models are validated experimentally via innovative experimental setups. The thus-proposed <i>ϕ</i> = 50 mm watch-like prototype allows, by using a rotating flywheel, the collection of low-frequency (ca. 1 to 3 Hz) human kinetic energy, and the periodic excitation of the optimized harvesters that, oscillating at their eigenfrequencies (~325 to ~930 Hz), display specific power outputs improved by up to 5.5 times, when compared to a conventional rectangular form, with maximal power outputs of up to >130 mW and average power outputs of up to >3 mW. These power levels should amply satisfy the requirements of factual wearable medical systems, while providing also an adaptability to accommodate several diverse sensors. All of this creates the preconditions for the development of novel autonomous wearable devices aimed not only at sensor networks for remote patient monitoring and telemedicine, but, potentially, also for IoT and structural health monitoring.
format	article
author	Petar Gljušćić Saša Zelenika
author_facet	Petar Gljušćić Saša Zelenika
author_sort	Petar Gljušćić
title	Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks
title_short	Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks
title_full	Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks
title_fullStr	Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks
title_full_unstemmed	Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks
title_sort	experimental characterization of optimized piezoelectric energy harvesters for wearable sensor networks
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/9724bff441d14a62b042458bd7bb305d
work_keys_str_mv	AT petargljuscic experimentalcharacterizationofoptimizedpiezoelectricenergyharvestersforwearablesensornetworks AT sasazelenika experimentalcharacterizationofoptimizedpiezoelectricenergyharvestersforwearablesensornetworks
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Experimental Characterization of Optimized Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Wearable Sensor Networks

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