Broadening the Bandwidth of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Using Liquid Filled Mass. (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jackson, Nathan; Stam, Frank; Olszewski, Oskar Z.; Houlihan, Ruth; Mathewson, Alan
• Is Part Of: Procedia engineering. Volume 120(2015)
• Page Start: 328
• Page End: 332
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: Energy Harvesting -- Piezoelectrics -- wide bandwidth -- cantilever -- sliding mass; Engineering -- Congresses; Engineering -- Periodicals; Engineering; Conference proceedings; Periodicals; 620.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.627
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1877-7058

Abstract

Abstract: A narrow bandwidth is one of the most challenging issues that vibrational energy harvesters have to overcome. This paper demonstrates a novel method of broadening the bandwidth without significantly reducing the peak output voltage. The method uses a liquid filled mass to create a sliding mass effect in order to broaden the bandwidth. The fluid mass increased the full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) value from 1.6 Hz to 4.45 Hz with no significant decrease in peak-to-peak voltage when compared to an empty mass. The fluid filled mass has a non-linear mass distribution during low frequency, high acceleration applications.