Influence and optimization of the electrodes position in a piezoelectric energy harvesting flag

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electrode placement on a piezoelectric fluttering plate affects energy harvesting efficiency, combining experiments and simulations to optimize electrode configuration for improved power output.

Contribution

It introduces a combined experimental and numerical approach to optimize electrode placement on piezoelectric plates in fluid flow energy harvesters.

Findings

Optimal electrode positions significantly enhance energy output.

Numerical models accurately predict experimental results.

Physical understanding of electrode effects in different coupling regimes.

Abstract

Fluttering piezoelectric plates may harvest energy from a fluid flow by converting the plate's mechanical deformation into electric energy in an output circuit. This work focuses on the influence of the arrangement of the piezoelectric electrodes along the plate's surface on the energy harvesting efficiency of the system, using a combination of experiments and numerical simulations. A weakly non-linear model of a plate in axial flow, equipped with a discrete number of piezoelectric patches is derived and confronted to experimental results. Numerical simulations are then used to optimize the position and dimensions of the piezoelectric electrodes. These optimal configurations can be understood physically in the limit of small and large electromechanical coupling.