Design and Development of a Broadband Vibration Energy Harvester Suitable for Tractor Exhaust Cylinder Vibration

Abstract

A large amount of vibration energy exists in the working environment of tractors. Therefore, the use of vibration energy harvesting technology to convert the vibration energy into electrical energy is a feasible way to supply power to low-power sensor equipment in agricultural machinery. Aiming at the problem in which the internal sensors of traditional tractors require built-in batteries or overlapping cables, this work proposes a broadband piezoelectric vibration energy harvester that could harvest the vibration energy from the tractor exhaust cylinder when the tractor is working. The vibration energy can be converted into electrical energy to power the air pressure sensor device. This experimental investigation shows that the energy harvester is composed of a folded piezoelectric energy harvester and a multi-source input synchronous electronic charge extraction circuit.The circuit has a high power density of 12,398 μW/(mm3·g2). Hence, it can convert vibration energy into a wide frequency range between 90–140 Hz and cause the air pressure sensor to operate.