Numerical Modelling of a Piezo Roof Harvesting System: The Right Component Selection
Archive of Mechanical Engineering
2017
No 2
Romeo Di Leo
; Massimo Viscardi
; Francesco Paolo Tuccinardi
; Michele Visone
Mechanical Engineering
;
Mechanics of Materials
Nauki Techniczne
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The present work focuses on a first study for a piezoelectric harvesting system, finalized to the obtaining of electrical energy from the kinetic energy of rainy precipitation, a renewable energy source not really considered until now. The system, after the realization, can be collocated on the roof of an house, configuring a “Piezo Roof Harvesting System”. After presenting a state of art of the harvesting systems from environmental energy, linked to vibrations, using piezoelectric structures, and of piezoelectric harvesting systems functioning with rain, the authors propose an analysis of the fundamental features of rainy precipitations for the definition of the harvesting system. Then, four key patterns for the realization of a piezoelectric energy harvesting system are discussed and analysed, arriving to the choice of a cantilever beam scheme, in which the piezoelectric material works in 31 mode. An electro-mechanical model for the simulation of performance of the unit for the energetic conversion, composed of three blocks, is proposed. The model is used for a simulation campaign to perform the final choice of the more suitable piezoelectric unit, available on the market, which will be adopted for the realization of the “Piezo Roof Harvesting System”.</jats:p>
Polish Academy of Science, Committe of Machine Design
2017
ISSN 0004-0738, e-ISSN 2300-1895
10.1515/meceng-2017-0016