Electromagnetic and vibration energy harvesting utilizing a piezoelectric device

1 online resource (97 pages) : PDF

2015

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The main goal of this research is to design an energy harvesting device that produces enough power to supply a voltage sensor deployed on a power line. Energy harvesting using piezoelectric material is one of the promising methods of powering the sensor. The operating environment of the sensor is rich in electromagnetic fields and mechanical vibrations. Conversion of these unused energies into electricity can extend the sensor’s battery life, or even eliminate the battery and associated maintenance. Therefore, maintenance safety hazards and operating cost of the sensors can be reduced. This research investigates a novel method of retrieving energy simultaneously from both electromagnetic fields and mechanical vibrations. Two harvesters were arranged with three different physical layouts to examine their functionality and evaluate by output power density. The harvester with the layout exhibiting the highest power density was used to tune to the operating frequency (60 Hz) and examined for impedances loading effect. The harvesting system was then tested using electromagnetic fields created by a current carrying wire in combination with mechanical vibrations generated by a mechanical shaker. Data obtained in these tests were used to estimate power output in the real power line environment. The maximum recorded output power density was much higher than typical power density reported in the literature for piezoelectric energy harvesters [12]. According to the experimental data, ten harvesters should be able to produce enough power to supply the sensor in the operating environment.

masters theses

Engineering
Power resources

M.S.

Cantilever Beam
Electromagnetic Field
Energy Harvester
Mechanical Vibration
Piezoelectric

Applied Energy & Electromechanical System

Noras, Maciej

Adams, Ryan
Williams, Wesley

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2015.

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Vo_uncc_0694N_11004

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:1348