Modeling and simulation of a gauge shaped beam coupled with macro fiber composite for energy harvesting application

Abstract

This paper presents a novel unimorph piezoelectric cantilever with non-conventional geometry named as gauge shaped beam to investigate stress, Eigen frequencies and electric potential for improved vibration energy scavenging. The harvester is made of macro fiber composite (MFC) as the active piezoelectric layer bonded to a brass substrate. Complete transversely isotropic elastic and piezoelectric properties are assigned to the composite structure in a three-dimensional finite element model using COMSOL Multiphysics. Dynamic behaviour of the proposed structure was simulated and the results obtained were compared with traditional rectangular geometry. The results proved that the gauge shaped beam has a higher stress distribution around the gauge length, enhanced electric potential and lower resonance frequencies than the conventional rectangular structure which makes it better for the design of piezoelectric based vibration energy harvesters.