Harvesting vibration energy using piezoelectric material: Modeling, simulation and experimental verifications

Piezoelectric materials produce electrical charges when subjected to dynamic strain. These materials can be used to capture and store vibrational energy which later can be used to power up small devices. This paper presents an analytical estimation of voltage production of piezoelectric cantilever beam when subjected to base excitation, with and without attached proof masses. The beam is modeled using Euler Bernoulli, also known as thin beam theory. As such, the model obtained here is applicable for micro- and nano-beams. The frequency response function (FRF) that relates the output voltage and transverse acceleration is identified for multi-mode vibration. These analytical predictions are then compared with experimental results and good agreement is obtained. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.