An analytical model for a piezoelectric vibration energy harvester with resonance frequency tunability

Abstract

This article conceptually proposes a new method to tune the resonance frequency of piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters, in which the supporting position of the vibrator can be adjusted for frequency tuning. The corresponding analytical model is established to predict the performances of the harvester based on the principles of energy. First, the equivalent stiffness and mass of the vibrator in bending mode are derived explicitly for the different supporting positions. A simple analysis method is then established for the frequency, output voltage, and output power. Finally, some numerical examples are given to demonstrate the presented method. The results are also compared with those by finite element method and good agreement is observed.