Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesting using a Statically Balanced Force Amplifier
J. Bankras (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
Werner Van De Sande – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechatronic Systems Design)
T.W.A. Blad – Mentor
J. L. Herder – Mentor (TU Delft - Precision and Microsystems Engineering)
Ron A.J. Van Ostayen – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechatronic Systems Design)
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Abstract
This research investigates a novel approach to vibration energy harvesting (VEH) using a statically balanced lever mechanism to compress piezoelectric stacks. Current state-of-the-art VEH methods struggle with scaling and harvesting energy efficiently, this proposed prototype addresses these limitations by utilizing the piezoelectric charge constant more efficiently. A prototype was developed and tested, showing a maximal stiffness reduction of 95% and demonstrating the principle's improvement in increasing power output by at most a factor of 116. A model is introduced to predict power output from the response and to estimate the generated power of an unbalanced mechanism. The scalability and improved performance highlight the potential of this approach for future VEH applications.
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File under embargo until 22-08-2026