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Piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting: A connection configuration scheme to increase operational range and output power

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Jia, Y 
Seshia, AA 

Abstract

jats:p For a conventional monolithic piezoelectric transducer (PT) using a full-bridge rectifier, there is a threshold voltage that the open-circuit voltage measured across the PT must attain prior to any transfer of energy to the storage capacitor at the output of the rectifier. This threshold voltage usually depends on the voltage of the storage capacitor and the forward voltage drop of diodes. This article presents a scheme of splitting the electrode of a monolithic piezoelectric vibration energy harvester into multiple ( n) equal regions connected in series in order to provide a wider operating voltage range and higher output power while using a full-bridge rectifier as the interface circuit. The performance of different series stage numbers has been theoretically studied and experimentally validated. The number of series stages ([Formula: see text]) can be predefined for a particular implementation, which depends on the specified operating conditions, to achieve optimal performance. This enables the system to attain comparable performance compared to active interface circuits under an increased input range while no additional active circuits are required and the system is comparatively less affected by synchronized switching damping effect. </jats:p>

Description

Keywords

Energy harvesting, piezoelectric, rectifiers

Journal Title

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1045-389X
1530-8138

Volume Title

28

Publisher

SAGE Publications
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K000314/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L010917/1)