Dynamics of a nonlinear energy harvester with subharmonic responses

Abstract

Abstract A frequency transmission band of the nonlinear energy harvester shall be studied numerically. For the analysis, the nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting system based on a cantilever elastic beam has been applied to harvest the kinetic energy of the moving frame. We used a double-well potential induced by permanent magnets for a ferromagnetic beam resonator. A piezoelectric patch attached along the beam was used as a transducer of the mechanical into electrical energy. It occurred that the system could work in a wide interval of frequency beyond the linear resonance. Besides the response with a period of excitation, solutions with dominating sub-harmonics of the harmonic inertial force excitation have been found. Particular solutions were illustrated, classified, and discussed using phase portraits and Fourier spectra of the output signals.