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Low-Cost Piezoelectric Sensor Characterization for Energy Harvesting Applications
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1  São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Engineering, Bauru, Department of Electrical Engineering

Abstract:

Energy harvesting engineering field constitute a promising area to provide electrical power for low-power electric applications obtained from other sources of energy available in the environment such as thermal, electromagnetic, vibrational and acoustic by using transducers. Vibrational sources stand out as a main alternative to be used for generating electric power in sensor nodes, microelectronic devices due to greater energy conversion efficiency and the use of simple structure. The cantilever is the main system implemented in studies of obtaining electric energy from vibrations using piezoelectric transducers. Most of piezoelectric transducers in the literature are not yet commercially available and / or are difficult to access for purchase and use it. This paper proposes the characterization of low-cost piezoelectric transducers, configured as sensors, for Energy Harvesting applications using three different sizes of circular piezoelectric diaphragms (diameters: 3.4cm, 2.,6cm and 1.5cm) PZTs. For all three different PZTs it was found that the maximum power transfer occurs for a resistive load of 82kΏ. The maximum power generated in the load for the three PZTs was 40uW, 14uW and 1.4W, RMS voltages 1.8V, 1.0V and 0.34V, acceleration of 1.3g and at vibration frequency approximate of 7Hz.

Keywords: piezoelectric sensors; low-cost sensor; energy harvesting; low-power
Comments on this paper
Guillermo Robles
Some practical questions
Thank you for sharing your work in the Conference.
I am very interested in the topic of your paper and I have some practical questions to clarify some concepts that I might have missed:
  1. Why do you place the PZT so close to the fixed end of the cantilever?
  2. What are you inducing to the PZT, vibration or bending deformation?
  3. How do you adhere the PZT to the cantilever so the vibration or deformation is transferred without losses?
  4. Why do you measure the acceleration of the free end of the cantilever? What is the relationship between the acceleration and the output voltage of the PZT?
  5. You have placed an accelerometer close to the free end of the cantilever but the PZT is close to the fixed end so the acceleration read by the sensor would be different from the acceleration of the PZT, won't it?
  6. The PZT you are using is a common buzzer so I would expect a resonant frequency in the range of kHz. In fact, the manufacturer sets the resonant frequency in 9 kHz. Would you please explain how do you get your resonant frequency and give an idea about why are so different?
  7. Could you please show a plot of the voltages obtained from the PZT?

I apologize for sending so many questions...

Thank you very much.

Guillermo Robles
No response to my comments
The conference is over and I still haven't received any answers to my comments. It is a shame.

Jessica Wilen
Amazed to read this info
Energy harvesting engineering field is a promising field for the students who are studying electrical engineering. I got online research paper writing service for more assignment. By investigating and researching within this field, alternate energy resources can be discovered.



 
 
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