Modeling, Validation, and Performance of Two Tandem Cylinder Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters in Water Flow

Abstract

This paper studies a novel enhanced energy-harvesting method to harvest water flow-induced vibration with a tandem arrangement of two piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) in the direction of flowing water, through simulation modeling and experimental validation. A mathematical model is established by two individual-equivalent single-degree-of-freedom models, coupled with the hydrodynamic force obtained by computational fluid dynamics. Through the simulation analysis, the variation rules of vibration frequency, vibration amplitude, power generation and the distribution of flow field are obtained. And experimental tests are performed to verify the numerical calculation. The experimental and simulation results show that the upstream piezoelectric energy harvester (UPEH) is excited by the vortex-induced vibration, and the maximum value of performance is achieved when the UPEH and the vibration are resonant. As the vortex falls off from the UPEH, the downstream piezoelectric energy harvester (DPEH) generates a responsive beat frequency vibration. Energy-harvesting performance of the DPEH is better than that of the UPEH, especially at high speed flows. The maximum output power of the DPEH (371.7 μW) is 2.56 times of that of the UPEH (145.4 μW), at a specific spacing between the UPEN and the DPEH. Thereupon, the total output power of the two tandem piezoelectric energy harvester systems is significantly greater than that of the common single PEH, which provides a good foreground for further exploration of multiple piezoelectric energy harvesters system.

Energy Harvesting from Water Flow by Using Piezoelectric Materials

“…In ref. [48], a detailed case of analyzing the aforementioned parameters was conducted by finite-element analysis, see Figure 4h.…”

“…Therefore, WIV has also been described as wake‐induced galloping. [ 47 ] Moreover, the oscillation frequency also increases with the flow velocity [ 48 ] with a typical oscillation frequency of 1–8 Hz. [ 49 ] As a complex excitation mechanism, models of WIV are at a relatively early stage compared to other modes.…”

VIV array for wind energy harvesting

“…However, the power generated by a single PEH is limited. To realize large-scale power generation for industrial purposes, researchers investigate the energy-harvesting capabilities of arrays of multiple PEHs (Song et al, 2021). Some related efforts have been made in recent years (Fan et al, 2022; Long et al, 2022; Ramírez, 2021; Shan et al, 2021; Yan et al, 2021).…”

Energy harvesting of flow induced vibration enhanced by bionic non-smooth surfaces

“…Inspired by WIV, some researchers proposed a combined piezoelectric energy harvests (PEHs) system to improve space utilization and output power performance [24]. Song et al [25] studied a new enhanced energy harvest method through simulation modeling and experimental veri cation. Through simulation modeling and experimental veri cation, two PEHs are arranged in series in the direction of water ow to harvest the vibration caused by water ow.…”