A New Prospect in Road Traffic Energy Harvesting Using Lead-Free Piezoceramics

Abstract

In this paper, a new prospect using lead-free piezoelectric ceramics is presented in order to determine their behavior in piezoelectric-based road traffic energy harvesting applications. This paper will describe the low-cost and fully programmable novel test bench developed. The test bench includes a traffic simulator and acquires the electrical signals of the piezoelectric materials and the energy harvested when stress is produced by analogous mechanical stimuli to road traffic effects. This new computer-controlled laboratory instrument is able to obtain the active electrical model of the piezoelectric materials and the generalized linear equivalent electrical model of the energy storage and harvesting circuits in an accurate and automatized empirical process. The models are originals and predict the extracted maximum power. The methodology presented allows the use of only two load resistor values to empirically verify the value of the output impedance of the harvester previously determined by simulations. This parameter is unknown a priori and is very relevant for optimizing the energy harvesting process based on maximum power point algorithms. The relative error achieved between the theoretical analysis by applying the models and the practical tests with real harvesting systems is under 3%. The environmental concerns are explored, highlighting the main differences between lead-containing (lead zirconate titanate, PZT) and lead-free commercial piezoelectric ceramics in road traffic energy harvesting applications.

Processing Optimization and Toxicological Evaluation of “Lead-Free” Piezoceramics: A KNN-Based Case Study

“…Nowadays, piezoceramics represent an undeniable class of functional materials that are largely exploited in a wide range of key technologies, including imaging probes for medical diagnostics, new generations of sonars and wireless admittance monitoring systems [ 1 ]. With exceptional electromechanical properties and mild processing conditions, highly dense PZT (lead, zirconate, titanate), with a general formula Pb(Zr x Ti 1−x )O 3 , is the most commonly used compound in the manufacturing of piezoceramics-based devices [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. However, despite the excellent properties exhibited, the use of highly toxic lead oxide as starting reagent has led the industrial and scientific community to address their efforts in the development of competitive alternatives composed of lead-free materials [ 5 ].…”

Numerical Analysis of Signal Response Characteristic of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Embedded in Pavement

“…The exact output energy amount was calculated by Moure et al considering different kinds of traffic loading by cymbal harvesters [17]. Vázquez-Rodríguez et al presented a new prospect using lead-free piezoelectric ceramics to determine their behavior in piezoelectric-based road traffic energy harvesting applications [18]. The PEHs of the stack structure have been studied as well [19].…”

A Virtual Instrument for Road Vehicle Classification Based on Piezoelectric Transducers

“…The piezoelectric transducers used are piezoelectric cables. These piezoelectric devices are commonly used in traffic management and have, in recent years, also been used in the development of road traffic infrastructure [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. This type of transducer is usually used in electronic instrumentation dedicated to traffic management for vehicle counting and weighing (only if the vehicle is traveling at low speed).…”