Modeling and Analysis of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting From Aeroelastic Vibrations Using the Doublet-Lattice Method

Abstract

Multifunctional structures are pointed out as an important technology for the design of aircraft with volume, mass, and energy source limitations such as unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and micro air vehicles (MAVs). In addition to its primary function of bearing aerodynamic loads, the wing/spar structure of an UAV or a MAV with embedded piezoceramics can provide an extra electrical energy source based on the concept of vibration energy harvesting to power small and wireless electronic components. Aeroelastic vibrations of a lifting surface can be converted into electricity using piezoelectric transduction. In this paper, frequency-domain piezoaeroelastic modeling and analysis of a cantilevered platelike wing with embedded piezoceramics is presented for energy harvesting. The electromechanical finite-element plate model is based on the thin-plate (Kirchhoff) assumptions while the unsteady aerodynamic model uses the doublet-lattice method. The electromechanical and aerodynamic models are combined to obtain the piezoaeroelastic equations, which are solved using a p-k scheme that accounts for the electromechanical coupling. The evolution of the aerodynamic damping and the frequency of each mode are obtained with changing airflow speed for a given electrical circuit. Expressions for piezoaeroelastically coupled frequency response functions (voltage, current, and electrical power as well the vibratory motion) are also defined by combining flow excitation with harmonic base excitation. Hence, piezoaeroelastic evolution can be investigated in frequency domain for different airflow speeds and electrical boundary conditions.

Piezoelectric energy harvester composite under dynamic bending with implementation to aircraft wingbox structure

“…In addition, [18] developed a three degree of freedoms model for an airfoil actioned by control surfaces. These models [14,15,16,17,18] were able to predict the voltage and power responses at the flutter speed with the combination of unsteady aerodynamic loads. The airfoil model [14] was also validated against the wind tunnel test results.…”

“…flutter instability case, were developed. In addition to the time domain model with unsteady aerodynamic calculation via Vortex Lattice Method proposed by [15], a frequency domain model with unsteady aerodynamic calculation via Doublet Lattice Method has been formulated by [16]. A coupled model considering the electromagnetic field is proposed by [17].…”

Performance of pre-deformed flexible piezoelectric cantilever in energy harvesting

“…Elvin et al 10 have presented a theoretical model for a piezoelectric cantilever pipe that shows that the greatest effect upon flutter speed is produced by the location of the piezoelectric layer, while variation in the piezoelectric capacitance has a relatively small effect. Marqui et al 11,12 have found that, compared with continuous electrodes, segmented electrodes can improve the performance of piezo-aeroelastic energy harvesters by avoiding the cancellation of electrical outputs from the torsional component of the coupled bending-torsion motions of flutter. They also performed numerical investigations on the combined piezoelectric and electromagnetic mechanisms needed to harvest energy from the flutter motion.…”

A Preliminary Study on Piezo-aeroelastic Energy Harvesting Using a Nonlinear Trailing-Edge Flap

“…Erturk et al [3] performed an experimental study on generating electricity from thin curved airfoils with macro-fiber composite (MFC) piezoceramics under airflow excitation. De Marqui et al [4] studied the piezoaeroelastic problem of energy harvesting with respect to the airflow excitation of a cantilevered plate with embedded piezoceramics. Tang et al [5] proposed a flexible energy harvester inspired by flapping flag dynamics.…”