Harnessing multi-stable piezoelectric systems for enhanced wind energy harvesting

Abstract

Abstract With the ongoing evolution of microelectronic devices toward lower power consumption, the utilization of piezoelectric materials for energy harvesting from wind-induced vibrations has garnered considerable attention. This study employs a combined approach involving finite element analysis and experiments to investigate the energy harvesting efficiency of the multi-stable piezoelectric wind energy harvester (MPWEH) and compares its performance with two alternative systems. The MPWEH demonstrates higher strains in both the x and y directions during reciprocating cross-well vibrations, establishing its superior energy harvesting efficiency compared to the alternative systems. Notably, at a wind speed of 8 m s−1, the MPWEH generates an output power nearly six times higher than local bistable piezoelectric energy harvester (LBPEH). The MPWEH achieves the maximum power density of 9.8125 mW cm−3, whereas the LBPEH registers the power density of 1.625 mW cm−3. The experimental results indicate that, under the optimal load resistance of 40 kΩ and a wind speed of 14 m s−1, the MPWEH achieves a peak output power of 2.76 mW, with a power density of 17.25 mW cm−3. The versatile applicability of the MPWEH extends across various low-power consumption microelectronic devices, positioning it as a valuable candidate for empowering continuous monitoring sensors in diverse domains.