Piezoelectric resonator design and analysis from stochastic car vibration using an experimentally validated finite element with viscous-structural damping model
Majid Khazaee, Alireza Rezania, Lasse Rosendahl
Abstract
Within the Vibration Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting (VPEH) framework, this paper investigates and designs an optimal piezoelectric harvester (PH) under stochastic real-time vibrations using a step-by-step guideline from an electrical and mechanical perspective. A stochastic-excitation high-order-shear-deformation finite element (FE) method, with experimental verifications, analyzed the trapezoid non-uniform piezoelectric resonator under random base vibration. The significance of the contact layer and proper viscous-structural combined damping model is reported for precise power estimation. Based on modal sensitivity, a fast and effective model-updating method for structural modulation is developed. Parametric studies of the optimum load–frequency and natural frequency-geometrical parameters relationships are investigated. Modeling results indicate that ignoring the contact-layer effect will create inaccuracies in the resonant frequency estimation. Besides, a combined viscous-structural damping model is mandatory for proper resonant power estimation. The matched resistance loading is slightly different under stochastic vibration than the harmonic analysis. The presented method is applied on a real-time stochastic vibration, i.e., car vibration. Electrical power of 1.32 mW with density of 495.92 µW/cm3 are produced by installing one PH undergoing random excitation from gravity-direction. This power can be enough to power a low-power autonomous wireless vibration sensor demonstrating the VPEH usage in autonomous sensors for future intelligent cars.