Analysis of angular position, dimension and material of a cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester

Abstract

The performance of an angular vibrating single piezoelectric cantilever beam energy harvester in a flexural mode was analyzed. In this research the approaches of theory, finite element, and experiment have been undertaken to study the effects of angular position, mechanical properties, and dimensions on the output power and resonance frequency of a piezoelectric cantilever beam. The phase shift is an important phenomenon observed in this system because of the angular position of the beam about its longitudinal axis. Frequency shift due to the angular position is usually observed in experiments. However, it has not been studied theoretically until now. The angular position not only affects the resonance frequency but also the amount of output power from the lead zirconate titanate ceramic bonded on it. Furthermore, beam and piezoelectric dimensions have a major effect on power output and resonance frequency. Another aspect considered in this research is the effect of materials on power and frequency which have been studied for aluminum, copper, and steel.