Modeling and simulation of MEMS-based PZT beam array vibration energy harvester for high voltage output

Abstract

Piezoelectric vibration energy harvester as an autonomous power source for various types of sensors, actuators and MEMS devices has been investigated over the last decade. Traditional MEMS-based PZT single beam vibration energy harvester has low voltage output (usually less than 1 V) which cause rectifier circuit to consume most of power or turn off in practical applications. In this paper, to improve the voltage output as well as ensure high power output of the MEMS-based PZT vibration energy harvester, a PZT beam array configuration is proposed. Based on Hamilton's principle and Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, mathematical model for the proposed vibration energy harvester is established, and then the model is verified through finite element model implemented by program ANSYS. Both mathematical model and ANSYS simulation show that the voltage output of the proposed vibration energy harvester is 5 times of the traditional vibration energy harvester and the mathematical model also show that the power output of the proposed vibration energy harvester is the same as the traditional vibration energy harvester. From the mathematical model, the voltage output of the proposed vibration energy harvester increase linearly with the total number of the beams.