Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow
We consider piezoelectric flow energy harvesting in an internal flow environment with the ultimate goal powering systems such as sensors in deep oil well applications. Fluid motion is coupled to structural vibration via a cantilever beam placed in a converging-diverging flow channel. Two designs wer...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-10-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/15/10/26039 |
| _version_ | 1811306611123159040 |
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| author | Hyeong Jae Lee Stewart Sherrit Luis Phillipe Tosi Phillip Walkemeyer Tim Colonius |
| author_facet | Hyeong Jae Lee Stewart Sherrit Luis Phillipe Tosi Phillip Walkemeyer Tim Colonius |
| author_sort | Hyeong Jae Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We consider piezoelectric flow energy harvesting in an internal flow environment with the ultimate goal powering systems such as sensors in deep oil well applications. Fluid motion is coupled to structural vibration via a cantilever beam placed in a converging-diverging flow channel. Two designs were considered for the electromechanical coupling: first; the cantilever itself is a piezoelectric bimorph; second; the cantilever is mounted on a pair of flextensional actuators. We experimentally investigated varying the geometry of the flow passage and the flow rate. Experimental results revealed that the power generated from both designs was similar; producing as much as 20 mW at a flow rate of 20 L/min. The bimorph designs were prone to failure at the extremes of flow rates tested. Finite element analysis (FEA) showed fatigue failure was imminent due to stress concentrations near the bimorph’s clamped region; and that robustness could be improved with a stepped-joint mounting design. A similar FEA model showed the flextensional-based harvester had a resonant frequency of around 375 Hz and an electromechanical coupling of 0.23 between the cantilever and flextensional actuators in a vacuum. These values; along with the power levels demonstrated; are significant steps toward building a system design that can eventually deliver power in the Watts range to devices down within a well. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:48:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bbedf2c754641d2b5890f30e66b6a7d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:48:33Z |
| publishDate | 2015-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bbedf2c754641d2b5890f30e66b6a7d2022-12-22T02:53:33ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202015-10-011510260392606210.3390/s151026039s151026039Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid FlowHyeong Jae Lee0Stewart Sherrit1Luis Phillipe Tosi2Phillip Walkemeyer3Tim Colonius4Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USACalifornia Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USACalifornia Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAWe consider piezoelectric flow energy harvesting in an internal flow environment with the ultimate goal powering systems such as sensors in deep oil well applications. Fluid motion is coupled to structural vibration via a cantilever beam placed in a converging-diverging flow channel. Two designs were considered for the electromechanical coupling: first; the cantilever itself is a piezoelectric bimorph; second; the cantilever is mounted on a pair of flextensional actuators. We experimentally investigated varying the geometry of the flow passage and the flow rate. Experimental results revealed that the power generated from both designs was similar; producing as much as 20 mW at a flow rate of 20 L/min. The bimorph designs were prone to failure at the extremes of flow rates tested. Finite element analysis (FEA) showed fatigue failure was imminent due to stress concentrations near the bimorph’s clamped region; and that robustness could be improved with a stepped-joint mounting design. A similar FEA model showed the flextensional-based harvester had a resonant frequency of around 375 Hz and an electromechanical coupling of 0.23 between the cantilever and flextensional actuators in a vacuum. These values; along with the power levels demonstrated; are significant steps toward building a system design that can eventually deliver power in the Watts range to devices down within a well.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/15/10/26039piezoelectricflow energy harvestingfluid-structure interactiontransducer |
| spellingShingle | Hyeong Jae Lee Stewart Sherrit Luis Phillipe Tosi Phillip Walkemeyer Tim Colonius Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow Sensors piezoelectric flow energy harvesting fluid-structure interaction transducer |
| title | Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow |
| title_full | Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow |
| title_fullStr | Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow |
| title_full_unstemmed | Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow |
| title_short | Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Internal Fluid Flow |
| title_sort | piezoelectric energy harvesting in internal fluid flow |
| topic | piezoelectric flow energy harvesting fluid-structure interaction transducer |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/15/10/26039 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hyeongjaelee piezoelectricenergyharvestingininternalfluidflow AT stewartsherrit piezoelectricenergyharvestingininternalfluidflow AT luisphillipetosi piezoelectricenergyharvestingininternalfluidflow AT phillipwalkemeyer piezoelectricenergyharvestingininternalfluidflow AT timcolonius piezoelectricenergyharvestingininternalfluidflow |