Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion
Silicon-based kinetic energy converters employing variable capacitors, also known as electrostatic vibration energy harvesters, hold promise as power sources for Internet of Things devices. However, for most wireless applications, such as wearable technology or environmental and structural monitorin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/11/5296 |
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| author | Jinglun Li Habilou Ouro-Koura Hannah Arnow Arian Nowbahari Matthew Galarza Meg Obispo Xing Tong Mehdi Azadmehr Einar Halvorsen Mona M. Hella John A. Tichy Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc |
| author_facet | Jinglun Li Habilou Ouro-Koura Hannah Arnow Arian Nowbahari Matthew Galarza Meg Obispo Xing Tong Mehdi Azadmehr Einar Halvorsen Mona M. Hella John A. Tichy Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc |
| author_sort | Jinglun Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Silicon-based kinetic energy converters employing variable capacitors, also known as electrostatic vibration energy harvesters, hold promise as power sources for Internet of Things devices. However, for most wireless applications, such as wearable technology or environmental and structural monitoring, the ambient vibration is often at relatively low frequencies (1–100 Hz). Since the power output of electrostatic harvesters is positively correlated to the frequency of capacitance oscillation, typical electrostatic energy harvesters, designed to match the natural frequency of ambient vibrations, do not produce sufficient power output. Moreover, energy conversion is limited to a narrow range of input frequencies. To address these shortcomings, an impacted-based electrostatic energy harvester is explored experimentally. The impact refers to electrode collision and it triggers frequency upconversion, namely a secondary high-frequency free oscillation of the electrodes overlapping with primary device oscillation tuned to input vibration frequency. The main purpose of high-frequency oscillation is to enable additional energy conversion cycles since this will increase the energy output. The devices investigated were fabricated using a commercial microfabrication foundry process and were experimentally studied. These devices exhibit non-uniform cross-section electrodes and a springless mass. The non-uniform width electrodes were used to prevent pull-in following electrode collision. Springless masses from different materials and sizes, such as 0.5 mm diameter Tungsten carbide, 0.8 mm diameter Tungsten carbide, zirconium dioxide, and silicon nitride, were added in an attempt to force collisions over a range of applied frequencies that would not otherwise result in collisions. The results show that the system operates over a relatively wide frequency range (up to 700 Hz frequency range), with the lower limit far below the natural frequency of the device. The addition of the springless mass successfully increased the device bandwidth. For example, at a low peak-to-peak vibration acceleration of 0.5 g (peak-to-peak), the addition of a zirconium dioxide ball doubled the device’s bandwidth. Testing with different balls indicates that the different sizes and material properties have different effects on the device’s performance, altering its mechanical and electrical damping. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:57:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f87bc14db0374cbb85a12bcdf55ad0e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:57:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-f87bc14db0374cbb85a12bcdf55ad0e62023-11-18T08:35:14ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-06-012311529610.3390/s23115296Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency UpconversionJinglun Li0Habilou Ouro-Koura1Hannah Arnow2Arian Nowbahari3Matthew Galarza4Meg Obispo5Xing Tong6Mehdi Azadmehr7Einar Halvorsen8Mona M. Hella9John A. Tichy10Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc11Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Microsystems, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3184 Borre, NorwayDepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Electrical, Computer and System Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Microsystems, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3184 Borre, NorwayDepartment of Microsystems, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3184 Borre, NorwayDepartment of Electrical, Computer and System Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USADepartment of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USASilicon-based kinetic energy converters employing variable capacitors, also known as electrostatic vibration energy harvesters, hold promise as power sources for Internet of Things devices. However, for most wireless applications, such as wearable technology or environmental and structural monitoring, the ambient vibration is often at relatively low frequencies (1–100 Hz). Since the power output of electrostatic harvesters is positively correlated to the frequency of capacitance oscillation, typical electrostatic energy harvesters, designed to match the natural frequency of ambient vibrations, do not produce sufficient power output. Moreover, energy conversion is limited to a narrow range of input frequencies. To address these shortcomings, an impacted-based electrostatic energy harvester is explored experimentally. The impact refers to electrode collision and it triggers frequency upconversion, namely a secondary high-frequency free oscillation of the electrodes overlapping with primary device oscillation tuned to input vibration frequency. The main purpose of high-frequency oscillation is to enable additional energy conversion cycles since this will increase the energy output. The devices investigated were fabricated using a commercial microfabrication foundry process and were experimentally studied. These devices exhibit non-uniform cross-section electrodes and a springless mass. The non-uniform width electrodes were used to prevent pull-in following electrode collision. Springless masses from different materials and sizes, such as 0.5 mm diameter Tungsten carbide, 0.8 mm diameter Tungsten carbide, zirconium dioxide, and silicon nitride, were added in an attempt to force collisions over a range of applied frequencies that would not otherwise result in collisions. The results show that the system operates over a relatively wide frequency range (up to 700 Hz frequency range), with the lower limit far below the natural frequency of the device. The addition of the springless mass successfully increased the device bandwidth. For example, at a low peak-to-peak vibration acceleration of 0.5 g (peak-to-peak), the addition of a zirconium dioxide ball doubled the device’s bandwidth. Testing with different balls indicates that the different sizes and material properties have different effects on the device’s performance, altering its mechanical and electrical damping.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/11/5296wireless sensor networksvibrationsenergy harvestingenergy conversionsensorsfrequency up-conversion |
| spellingShingle | Jinglun Li Habilou Ouro-Koura Hannah Arnow Arian Nowbahari Matthew Galarza Meg Obispo Xing Tong Mehdi Azadmehr Einar Halvorsen Mona M. Hella John A. Tichy Diana-Andra Borca-Tasciuc Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion Sensors wireless sensor networks vibrations energy harvesting energy conversion sensors frequency up-conversion |
| title | Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion |
| title_full | Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion |
| title_fullStr | Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion |
| title_short | Broadband Vibration-Based Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Applications Using Frequency Upconversion |
| title_sort | broadband vibration based energy harvesting for wireless sensor applications using frequency upconversion |
| topic | wireless sensor networks vibrations energy harvesting energy conversion sensors frequency up-conversion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/11/5296 |
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