Frequency Characteristics of Energy Harvester Using Piezoelectric Elements

압전식 에너지 수확기의 주파수 특성

This paper presents an energy harvester using piezoelectric elements that is a kind of generator which converts the mechanical power to the electric one using windmill system with many PZT actuators. In this study, low frequency characteristics of the cantilever-type piezoelectric actuator are experimentally investigated. Advantages of the cantilever use are to take a very large displacement and to improve the endurance of the PZT element. The material of cantilever is an aluminum and three kinds of cantilever of which size is $150[mm]{\times}20[mm]{\times}1.5[mm]$, $170[mm]{\times}20[mm]{\times}1.5[mm]$ and $190[mm]{\times}20[mm]{\times}1.5[mm]$ were experimented, respectively. The cantilever was fixed on the vibrator. The characteristics of frequency and mass variation of cantilever end part such as 0[g], 5[g], 10[g] are investigated. Maximum voltage was outputted at the condition of $150[mm]{\times}20[mm]{\times}1.5[mm]$ and 10[g] of mass. It was confirmed that the lower natural frequency at the larger length of cantilever and at the bigger of mass is gotten.