Experimental validation of a novel smart electromechanical tuned mass damper beam device

Abstract

This paper validates the novel concept of utilising piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting (PVEH) beams as a tuned mass damper (TMD)-which suppresses a particular vibration mode of a generic host structure over a broad band of excitation frequencies. The proposed device comprises a pair of bimorphs shunted by a resistor, capacitor and inductor connected in various alternative circuit configurations. A benchmark for the performance is established through Den Hartog's theory for the optimal damping of a classical TMD. Experimental results demonstrate that such optimal damping is equivalently generated by the PVEH effect for appropriately tuned circuitry. These results correlate reasonably well with the results of a theoretical analysis introduced in a previous paper. The proposed TMD beam device combines the relative advantages of the classical ('mechanical') TMD and the shunted piezoelectric patch ('electrical' vibration absorber), presenting the prospect of a functionally more readily-adaptable class of 'electromechanical' tuned vibration absorbers. Moreover, with further development, this dual PVEH/TMD beam device holds the potential of simultaneous energy storage.& 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. [1,4], apart from the optimal tuning of the device's frequency ω a , the TMD requires the prescription of an optimal level of damping.As discussed in [5], the practical implementation of the correct amount of damping in a TMD makes its design more challenging relative to the neutraliser and, once implemented, such damping may be difficult to adjust in response to a variation in the system parameters. The requirement for damping means that simple, compact and readily tuneable beamlike designs, that are popular with neutralisers [2,3], are relatively difficult to realise for TMDs. Beam-like (cantilever-type)Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Analytical and Experimental Investigation of a Curved Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

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“…Piezo materials can be integrated into lightweight structures, such as beams and plates, to convert electrical power into mechanical energy (actuator mode) or mechanical power into electrical energy (sensor mode or vibration energy harvesting mode). Considerable research into the modelling and analysis of piezoelectric devices has been performed with regard to actuators and sensors for smart vibration control, e.g., [ 7 , 8 ], vibration energy harvesting, e.g., [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ], or even simultaneous vibration control and vibration energy harvesting, e.g., [ 17 , 18 ]. The focus of the present paper is vibration energy harvesting.…”

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