A Hybrid Nonlinear Vibration Energy Harvester for Remote Sensing Applications

The overall technical objective of this proposal is to design and develop a prototype of hybrid, nonlinear, vibration-based, energy harvesters that can power a network of smart sensors in remote sensing applications such as water pipeline monitoring system. Vibration-based energy harvesters generally convert ambient mechanical energy or kinetic energy to an electrical energy. The proposed design of energy harvesters will enable new technologies of self-powered, wireless, smart sensors that gain energy from their surrounding ambient. The energy harvester investigated in this study is tuned to capture energy at a broad spectrum of frequencies using bimorph piezoelectric layers or tube and two sets of permanent magnets. One magnet is fixed to a stationary frame while the other is set to slide over the longitudinal direction of a cantilever piezoelectric structure. In this design arrangement, preliminary studies have shown that the amount of harvested energy increased within a wide broadband of frequencies compared to the linear harvesters that inherently possess low performance away from their natural frequencies. This research proposal focuses on studying the nonlinear phenomena in these nonlinear harvesters, and how the harvesting characteristics and efficiency can be improved. In view of that, these phenomena will be explored to realize smart remote sensors in water pipeline monitoring system that manage pipe leaks and save the precious resource of water.