Broadband dual phase energy harvester: Vibration and magnetic field

Abstract

Broadband mechanical energy harvesting implies stable output power over a wide range of source frequency. Here we present a cost-effective solution towards achieving broadband response by designing a magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvester array that exhibits a large power density of 243 mu W/cm(3) g(2) at natural frequency and bandwidth of more than 30 Hz under 1 g acceleration. The magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvester array exhibits dual modes of energy harvesting, responding to both stray magnetic field as well as ambient vibrations, and is found to exhibit the output power density of 36.5 mu W/cm(3) Oe(2) at 79.5 Hz under the ambient magnetic field while maintaining the broadband nature. The magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvester array was demonstrated to harvest continuous power from a rotary pump vibration, an automobile engine vibration and a parasitic magnetic field surrounding a cable of an electric kettle. These demonstrations suggest that the magnetically coupled piezoelectric energy harvester array could serve the role of a standalone power source for wireless sensor nodes and small electronic devices.