Resonant packaged piezoelectric power harvester for machinery health monitoring

Packaged piezoelectric bi-morph actuators offer an alternative power source for health monitoring using localized vibrational power harvesting. Packaging piezoelectric wafers simplify the integration of piezoelectric ceramic wafers into products and improve the durability of the brittle piezoelectric ceramic material. This paper describes a model for predicting the power harvested from a resonant cantilevered beam piezoelectric power harvester across a resistive load. The model results are correlated with experimental power harvesting measurements made using a commercially available piezoelectric bi-morph actuator. Additionally, experimental power harvesting levels were determined under high root strain conditions and varying command frequencies. Finally, the power production capability of the packaged piezoelectric bi-morph generator was evaluated over millions of cycles at very high root strains levels, representative of the loads expected in an industrial application. Results from the testing indicate that packaged piezoelectric wafer products used in power harvesting devices are very reliable and well suited for harsh industrial application environments.