Finite element modeling and experimental studies of stack-type piezoelectric energy harvester

In this paper, closed-form coupled electromechanical one-dimensional (1D) model and finite element (FE) model for stack-type piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) and delivery to a resistive load available in the literature were proposed. We obtained the values of some parameters of 1D model and set the boundaries of its applicability based on the comparison of the resonance frequency and output voltage between the FE model and 1D model. The numerical modeling results of the full-scale experiment with low-frequency pulse excitation of the stack-type PEH for the energy storage device are described. PEH is a multilayer axisymmetric piezoceramic package. The dependence between the output voltage and the current load rate under the harmonic and non-stationary mechanical action of the PEH is studied. The experimental results-to-numerical calculation correlation has shown their good coincidence, which allows using the analyzed numerical models to optimize the PEH design at the given external action frequency and the active resistance value of the external electric circuit. Besides, it found that the frequency dependence of the output voltage of the stack-type PEH is of a complex nature depending both on the compressive pulse loading level and the piezoelectric modulus value of the PEH sensitive element, and on the electrical load resistance. © 2017 World Scientific Publishing Europe Ltd.