Demonstration of wide bandwidth energy harvesting from vibrations

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate a true wide bandwidth vibration energy harvester based on piezoelectric transduction. Our device is designed to work specifically off-resonance under sinusoidal input vibrations with constant displacement amplitudes. The same device displays wide bandwidth operation under vibrations with constant acceleration amplitudes. We have achieved over 6?nW of wide bandwidth power extraction per active piezoelectric patch between 80?180?Hz for constant 100??m displacement amplitude, and across 20?90?Hz for constant 3g acceleration amplitude. Simulation of the micro-harvester with optimally fabricated piezoelectric material demonstrates over 1??W of power across the same frequencies, enabling a fully integrated, self-powered wireless sensor node.