A Miniature Energy Harvesting Device Using Martensite Variant Reorientation

Abstract

This paper presents a miniature energy harvesting device that makes use of stress-induced cyclic martensite variant reorientation in a Ni-Mn-Ga single crystal of 0.3x2x2 mm³ size. The stress- and magnetic field-induced reorientation is investigated for single crystalline Ni50.2Mn28.4Ga21.4 specimens of 0.3 mm thickness that are cut along the (100) direction and subjected to uniaxial compressive loading. A demonstrator is presented consisting of a FSMA specimen placed in the gap of a magnetic circuit to guide and enhance the field of biasing permanent magnets. The cyclic motion of a piezoelectric bimorph actuator is used to mechanically load the FSMA specimen. The corresponding change of magnetic flux induces an electrical voltage in a pick-up coil (N=2000 turns). The effects of biasing magnetic field, strain amplitude and strain velocity are investigated. An optimum magnetic field of 0.4 T exists, where the output voltage reaches 120 mV at a strain velocity of 0.006 ms-1.