Toward Small-Scale Wind Energy Harvesting: Design, Enhancement, Performance Comparison, and Applicability

Abstract

The concept of harvesting ambient energy as an alternative power supply for electronic systems like remote sensors to avoid replacement of depleted batteries has been enthusiastically investigated over the past few years. Wind energy is a potential power source which is ubiquitous in both indoor and outdoor environments. The increasing research interests have resulted in numerous techniques on small-scale wind energy harvesting, and a rigorous and quantitative comparison is necessary to provide the academic community a guideline. This paper reviews the recent advances on various wind power harvesting techniques ranging between cm-scaled wind turbines and windmills, harvesters based on aeroelasticities, and those based on turbulence and other types of working principles, mainly from a quantitative perspective. The merits, weaknesses, and applicability of different prototypes are discussed in detail. Also, efficiency enhancing methods are summarized from two aspects, that is, structural modification aspect and interface circuit improvement aspect. Studies on integrating wind energy harvesters with wireless sensors for potential practical uses are also reviewed. The purpose of this paper is to provide useful guidance to researchers from various disciplines interested in small-scale wind energy harvesting and help them build a quantitative understanding of this technique.

Vortex-induced vibration wind energy harvesting by piezoelectric MEMS device in formation

“…Comprehensive reviews 3,4 have summarised recent attempts at miniaturising wind energy harvesters. However, very few miniature VIV wind energy harvesters of the dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm or smaller were reported 5–7 .…”

A comprehensive review on piezoelectric energy harvesting technology: Materials, mechanisms, and applications

“…There are a considerable number of research studies focused on flow induced energy harvesting technology based on a piezoelectric transducer in the literature. [413][414][415][416][417][418][419][420][421] These harvesters can be used to power small electronic devices and deployed in many locations, such as urban areas, high wind areas, ventilation outlets, rivers and ocean, ducts of buildings, and lifting components in aircraft structures. Tropical climate countries have abundant annual rainfall.…”

Piezoelectric Power Harvesting via Acoustic-Pressure Driven by Low-Speed Wind-Force with Resonating-Tube and Wind-Collector

“…A target energy source of this prototype piezoelectric power harvesting apparatus is unsurprisingly the natural wind, especially less than the generally recognized cut-in wind speed of around 3 m/s [1] [4]. Before going to practical demonstrations driven by the natural wind, which is veer and haul, effect of the angle between the apparatus and the fan (i.e.…”

“…The conventional wind-force power generators have their respective cut-in wind speeds. Meanwhile, the power harvestings have attracted a lot of attention since their target energy sources are compensating overall range less than the cut-in wind speeds, which are generally recognized as around 3 m/s [1] [4]. Furthermore, the power harvestings are going to widen their applicable fields, because the conventional wind-force power generators are reported to include many drawbacks, such as structural complexity, large volume and weight, high cost of manufacturing and installation, low efficiency and noise [5].…”

“…The wind-driven power harvestings have been and are still diversified into various kinds [4] [6] [7] [8]. Among them, flutter power harvestings, where piezoelectric materials having thin beam shapes are directly excited by a wind flow, are actively engaged in investigations [5] [6] [9].…”