Analysis of a viscous soft dielectric elastomer generator operating in an electrical circuit. Issue 1 (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bortot, Eliana; Denzer, Ralf; Menzel, Andreas; Gei, Massimiliano
• Is Part Of: Proceedings in applied mathematics and mechanics. Volume 14:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 511
• Page End: 512
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Applied mathematics -- Periodicals; Engineering mathematics -- Periodicals; Mathematical physics -- Periodicals; 519
• DOI: 10.1002/pamm.201410243
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1617-7061

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Dielectric Elastomer Generators (DEGs) are able to convert mechanical work into electric energy. A soft dielectric elastomer generator can be modelled as a strain‐dependent variable capacitor undergoing large viscoelastic deformation. In this work we analyze an electrical circuit for energy harvesting in which the DEG is stretched periodically by a source of mechanical work. Since these devices undergo a high number of electro‐mechanical loading cycles at large deformation, it turns out that viscous effects must be carefully taken into account as they strongly affect the generator performance. (© 2014 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)</p> </abstract>