Enhanced vibrational energy harvesting using nonlinear stochastic resonance

Abstract

Stochastic resonance has seen wide application in the physical sciences as a tool to understand weak signal amplification by noise. However, this apparently counterintuitive phenomenon does not appear to have been exploited as a tool to enhance vibrational energy harvesting. In this note we demonstrate that by adding periodic forcing to a vibrationally excited energy harvesting mechanism, the power available from the device is apparently enhanced over a mechanism without periodic forcing.In order to illustrate this novel effect, a conceptually simple, but plausible model of such a device is proposed to explore the use of stochastic resonance to enhance vibrational energy harvesting.

Active and Reactive Power in Stochastic Resonance for Energy Harvesting

“…Suggested energy harvesters by the method of SR possess bi-stable potential [3][4][5]. Here is assumed that dynamical equation of the SR harvesters are represented altogether by the following formula:…”

“…As an energy harvester from thermal noise, the molecular sized brownian ratchet was suggested, but this machine was verified its impossibility [1,2]. On the other hand, stochastic resonance (SR) has been suggested as a method for energy harvesting from noise [3][4][5]. SR is a phenomena in which noise with moderate strength enhances SNR (Signal Noise Ratio) [6,7].…”

On square-wave-driven stochastic resonance for energy harvesting in a bistable system

“…The rate of change of the kinetic energy, mẋ 2 /2, and the potential of the mechanism, −k 2 x/2 + k 3 x 4 /4, equals the instantaneous external excitation and the additional force input. 17 Clearly, cẋ 2 represents the instantaneous energy dissipated by the damper. The energy input of the additional small-scale force is expressed by γ (t)ẋ and is always non-negative because γ (t) is a force that follows the magnetic end mass.…”

“…15,16 Ongoing work exploits stochastic resonance as a way of harvesting the energy within the random excitation, and the small-scale periodic modulation is a means of controlling the potential wells threshold of a bistable system. McInnes et al 17 first proposed the possibility of enhancing the performance of a bistable mechanism with stochastic resonance, and provided a numerical analysis to support this. By adding a periodic modulating excitation to a random excited bistable mechanism, the power available from the device was found to be enhanced over that of the same device without the periodic excitation.…”

Design optimization and experimental analysis of Piezoelectric Energy harvester

“…Vibration is one of the most commonly available forms of ambient energy, found in civil structures, machines, the human body, etc. Various vibration sources with their maximum acceleration magnitude and frequency range were well listed by Roundy et al [15]- [19] and it is a popular way of extracting electrical energy from the environment [20]- [29].…”