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MODELING OF A CANTILEVER BEAM FOR PIEZOELECTRIC ENERGY HARVESTING

Andreza Tangerino Mineto, Meire Pereira de Souza Braun, Hlio Aparecido Navarro, Paulo Srgio Varoto

Departamento de Engenharia Mecnica, Escola de Engenharia de So Carlos, USP. Av. Trabalhador So-Carlense, 400, Centro, CEP
13566-590, So Carlos, SP, Brasil, {andreza;meireps;han;varoto}@sc.usp.br

Abstract: Piezoelectric materials have been found in several different approach based on the electrical equivalent circuit
applications as transducers which are possible to harvest to describe the PZT bender, which leads to fair agreements
energy from vibrating structures. A simple transverse mode with the experimental results. However, the analysis only
type piezoelectric generator model based on EulerBernoulli considered a low-g (110 m.s-2) vibration condition and
beam theory with the following assumptions is presented: lacks mechanical dynamics of the structure. Eggborn [1]
(a) the piezoelectric layer thickness in comparison to the developed the analytical models to predict the energy
length of the beam is very thin and (b) the electrical field harvesting from a cantilever beam and a plate using
between the upper surface and lower surface of the Bernoulli-beam theory and made a comparison with the
piezoelectric layer is uniform. We applied this model to experimental result. Ajitsaria et al. [2] developed modeling
predict the power generated from a cantilever steel beam and analysis of a bimorph piezoelectric cantilever beam for
with harmonic oscillations using PZT-PIC 255. A voltage generation using on the analytical approach based
parametric study is also performed to optimize the energy on EulerBernoulli beam theory and Timoshenko beam
generation of piezoelectric-beam system. equations, which is then compared with two previously
described models in the literature: the electrical equivalent
circuit and energy method. In recent years, there have been a
Keywords: Piezoelectric Material, Energy Harvesting, considerable number of publications using various models
Cantilever Beam. for the electromechanical behavior of piezoelectric energy
harvester beams, as can be seen in Anton and Sodano [7].
The models used in the literature range from elementary
1. INTRODUCTION single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) models to approximate
distributed parameter models as well as analytical
distributed parameter solution attempts. Because of the
In our world today, we are unmistakably moving diverse nature of researchers working in energy harvesting
towards a technological way of life. More and more people (including electrical, mechanical and materials engineers),
are carrying portable electronic devices than ever before. several oversimplified and incorrect physical assumptions
These devices allow for unbelievable power and versatility have been propagated in the literature. Erturk and Inman
in communication and problem solving. But, as the have recently published a series of papers on energy
technology for portables has grown tremendously, battery harvesting using the cantilever model and their work
and energy storage technology has not kept up. New provide a broad coverage of several important modeling
technology allows for these portables to become smaller, but aspects that were validated with experimental data [8-12].
battery size remains the same. Perhaps, sometimes the
battery must be larger in order to accommodate the greater
power demands by a portable device. An alternative for
2. MATHEMATICAL MODELING
batteries is to create energy while on the go. Using
piezoceramic materials (PZT) is one way we can accomplish
this [1]. Piezoelectrics are the most popular smart materials. The following section describes the development of the
Piezoelectric materials have found widespread application PZT models and the analytical estimations of power
as transducers that are able to change electrical energy into generation. It is presented a model of a beam with a single
mechanical motion or force or vice versa [2]. wafer mounted on its surface.
Umeda et al. [3] were among the pioneers to study The linear constitutive equations for a piezoelectric
the PZT generator and proposed an electrical equivalent material [13] have been employed in terms of the
model being converted from mechanical lumped models of a piezoelectric coefficient e31, the dielectric constant33 , and
mass, a spring and a damper that describe a transformation
of the mechanical impact energy into electrical energy in the the electric field applied across the thickness of the layer Ez.
PZT material. Roundy et al. [4-6] presented a slightly

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 599
Modeling and simulation of a piezoelectric cantilever beam for power harvesting generation
A. T. Mineto, M.P. Souza Braun, H. A. Navarro, P. S. Varoto.

D z = e31 x + 33 E z (1) Eb I b
(5)
c2 =
A
The stress in z-direction is assumed zero. This occurs
when piezoelectric layer thickness in comparison to the The frequency will be equal to the beams first natural
length of the beam can be considered very thin. frequency because the largest deflections occur at the first
natural frequency. A general solution for this equation is
given by:
2.1 The Cantilever Beam Model
3
w( x, t ) = q i (t ) X i ( x ) (6)
Figure 1 shows the setup for the cantilever beam model. i =1
The PZT patch is attached to the beam near the clamped where qi is the i-th modal coordinate equation of the beam
edge for maximum strain. For the estimated power that a and Xi is the i-th mode shape of the beam. For consistency,
PZT can produce from beam vibrations to be calculated, the only the first three mode shapes will be used in the
moment that the PZT experiences must first be determined. summation process described by Eq. 6.
Therefore, considering the free undamped vibration,

z 2 qi (t ) 2 X i (x )
4
X i (x ) = c q (t ) (7)
F t 2 x 4
Lp
x Using the standard method of separation of variables in
the solution of Eq. 7, we have the equations:

Lf 2 q i (t ) 4 X i (x)
2
c2
Lb t = x 4 = n
2 (8)
q(t ) X i (x)

Fig. 1. Cantilever Beam with attached PZT sensor Here, we can write the Eq. (8) as:

The Euler-Bernoulli method is used to model the 2 qi (t )


t 2 + n qi (t ) = 0
2
cantilever beam. The governing undamped equation of
motion for the beam for forced motion under zero initial 4 (9)
2
conditions can be written as: X i x n X ( x ) = 0
x 4 c2
i

2 w( x, t ) 4 w( x , t )
A + E b I b = F (t ) (2) The solution of the second equation in Eq. (9) is:
t 2 x 4
where w is the displacement of the beam, is the density of X i (x ) = A1 cos (i x ) + A2 sin ( i x ) +
(10)
the steel beam, A is the cross-sectional area, and F(t) is the + A3 cosh ( i x ) + A4 sinh ( i x )
external force applied to the beam. The boundary conditions
are:
Applying the boundary conditions is found the general
mode shape equation for a cantilever beam:
w( 0 , t ) = 0 ,
w x (0, t ) = 0, (3) X i ( x ) = cosh ( i x ) cos( i x )
w xx (Lb , t ) = 0, senh( i Lb ) sen( i Lb ) (11)
(senh( i x) sen( i x))
w xxx (Lb , t ) = 0 cosh ( i Lb ) + cos( i Lb )

Considering a harmonic forcing function applied to a where Lb is the beam length.


single point on the beam, according to Fig. 1, we can write:
In the Eq. (11), i can be write as:
2 w(x, t ) 2 4 w(x, t ) F0
+c = sen(t ) (x L f ) (4)
t 2 x 4 A ni2
i = (12)
c2
where is the frequency, Lf is the position of the applied
force and c2 can be written as: where ni, the i-th natural frequency, is found from the
characteristic equation:

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 600
Modeling and simulation of a piezoelectric cantilever beam for power harvesting generation
A. T. Mineto, M.P. Souza Braun, H. A. Navarro, P. S. Varoto.

V
cos ( i Lb ) cosh ( i Lb ) = 1 (13) I= (20)
R
Combining equations (17), (19) and (20) the amplitude
More details regarding the solution process can be found of the current can be determined as:
in Inman [14].
For the first equation in (9), we have the solution:
bt b e31 [ (0 ) (Lb )]
t Im = (21)
q i (t ) =
1
e nit Fi ( )e ni t sen( di (t ))d R
(14)
21 + bL p 33
di 0
t a
where d is the damped natural frequency and is the
damping ratio. Now the power can be evaluated as:
Now the equation (6) already can be evaluated.
2
P = Im R (22)
2.2 Electromechanical Coupling Modeling

Recalling the constitutive equations for a piezoelectric


material and based in Lu et al. [13], the charge collected on 3. NUMERICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
the electrode surface can be expressed as the electrical
displacement integral on the area of the surface according
to:
The numerical simulations were developed using
Lb
MATLAB. Table 1 exhibits the beam and the PZT
dimensions and properties used in this work.
Q = b (e31 x + 33 E z )dx (15)
0
where b is the width of the beam. Table 1. Dimensions and properties of beam and PZT

Parameter Value
Assuming that the voltage potential between the upper
surface and lower surface of the piezoelectric layer is Beam (steel) Length Lb 0.5 m
denoted as V, under the uniform electrical field hypotheses, the Width b 0.05 m
electric field can be approximately expressed as [13]: Thickness tb 0.04 m
Density 7.85x103 Kg/m3
Youngs Modulus Eb 210x109 Pa
V
Ez = (16) PZT(PIC255) Length Lp 0.05 m
ta Width b 0.05 m
where ta is the thickness of the piezoelectric layer. Thickness ta 0.5x10-3 m
Substitution of the equation (16) into (15) leads to: Piezoelectric 11.2 Cm2
Constant e31
bt b e31 Dielectric Constant 1800 0
Q= [ (0) (Lb )] bL p 33 V (17) 33 0 =8.85x10-12F/m
2 ta
where is the slope of deflection of the beam
(deformation) and tb is the thickness of the beam. The slope
To produce maximum electrical power from
of deflection of the beam can be write as:
piezoelectric elements which are attached to vibrating
structures, the structures should be excited at their first
( x, t )
( x, t ) = (18) natural frequency where they experience the largest
x deflections [1]. In this study, the beam is excited at the first
natural frequency 1 = 13.4 Hz.
The current, charge and voltage are all functions of the For the time being the external force amplitude F was set
time. The frequency of these period functions is dependent to 1 N and it was applied at the free end of the beam. The
upon the mechanical vibration. The amplitude of the current PZT was attached to the beam near the clamped edge.
is that of the charge times the frequency that is given as: Figure 2 shows the relationship between power and
resistance R, which range from 0 until 1000 k with interval
I = Q (19) 1 k.

The relation between voltage and current for an electrical


circuit with pure resistance is expressed as:

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 601
Modeling and simulation of a piezoelectric cantilever beam for power harvesting generation
A. T. Mineto, M.P. Souza Braun, H. A. Navarro, P. S. Varoto.

Fig. 2. Power as function of the resistance Fig. 4. Power versus location of the applied force

There is an optimal resistance that gives the maximum The maximum power 2.6 mW was obtained with the
output power. Figure 2 shows that the external resistance of force at location 0.5m, i.e., the optimal location for the force
149 k gives the maximum power of 2.6 mW. is at the free end of the beam.
So, the voltage calculated for the R = 149 k as function It is observed that to all the others locations of the force,
of the time is presented in figure 3. Considering this graph, the maximum power was obtained for the same value of the
the integration time for steady-steady regime was from 2.0 resistance value of 149 k.
to 4.5 s with time-step of 1.0 ms. The piezoelectric material location is important to the
output power. It must be fixed where there are the largest
beam strains. The largest strain occurs at the clamped edge
of the cantilever beam Crawley [15].
For the next analysis, the PZT will be sequentially
moved along the beam from position i=1 to 10, where for
each arbitrary position i, the PZT will be localized
in (1 i )L p x iL p . This can be seen in figure 5.

Fig. 3. PZT voltage

In the next two figures, it will be considered a variation


in the PZT position and the location of the applied force.
Figure 4 shows the location of the applied force varying
between 0.01m and 0.5m with interval of 0.01m.

Fig. 5. Power versus position of the PZT

In the position i=1, i.e., 0 x L p , occurs the maximum


power. Here it is observed the constant value for the
resistance in all positions too.
Figures 4 and 5 justify our choice for the force location
and PZT position in figures 2 and 3. In all next figures this
choice will be maintained.

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 602
Modeling and simulation of a piezoelectric cantilever beam for power harvesting generation
A. T. Mineto, M.P. Souza Braun, H. A. Navarro, P. S. Varoto.

Now, in figure 6 will be analyzed the influence of the


vibration amplitude in output power.

Fig. 8. Power as a function of frequency with different resistance


values

Fig. 6. Power versus frequency


Note that all maximum power values occurred for the
first natural frequency 13.4 Hz. For the resistance 10 k and
We can see that the peak of a power occur in natural 500 k, the power maximum obtained was 0.6 mW and 1.8
frequencies. For the first natural frequency 13.4 Hz we mW, respectively.
obtained the maximum power 2.6 mW, as expected. For the Erturk and Innam [9] emphasized that the modeling
second natural frequency 83.8 Hz, the power was 0.27 mW based on EulerBernoulli beam theory do not consider the
with resistance 24 k. The power 0.063 mW was obtained effect of backward piezoelectric coupling in the beam
for the third natural frequency 234.6 Hz, with resistance 9 equation, which may result in very inaccurate predictions.
k. Note the direct proportionality between power and To finish, will be made an investigation about the
resistance. influence of PZT length.
Figure 7 gives the output powers of generators as a Initially, the PZT fixed on the beams clamped end will
function of the external resistance with three different have a length, Lp, of 0.05m and will be increased 0.01m
vibration frequencies. until it covers the entire length of the beam. The result can
be in figure 9.

Fig. 7. Power as a function of resistance with different frequencies

Fig. 9. Power versus PZT length


The figures above compare the maximum power
obtained with excitation at first natural frequency 13.4 Hz
with two others. For both frequencies, 12.7 Hz and 14.7 Hz, The maximum power obtained was 6.5 mW with PZT
the power found was lower than 2.6 mW. For frequency length Lp = 0.26m, approximately when the PZT covers half
12.7 Hz, the power was 0.67 mW with resistance 57 k. the beam. The resistance values associated with the
The power 0.22 mW was found to frequency 14.7 Hz, with maximum power at each point, dont follow the same trend
resistance 136 k. of the figure 9. Table 2 shows that resistance decreases
Figure 8 shows the power as a function of frequency for when increases Lp.
three fixed resistance (R=10 k, 149 k and 500 k,).

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 603
Modeling and simulation of a piezoelectric cantilever beam for power harvesting generation
A. T. Mineto, M.P. Souza Braun, H. A. Navarro, P. S. Varoto.

Table 2. Resistance and power as function of the PZT length REFERENCES


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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS piezoelectric energy harvesting from an L-shaped beam-
mass structure with an application to UAVs,Vol. 20, pp.
529-544, 2009.
The first and the second authors acknowledge the
financial support received from CAPES (Coordenao de [12] A. Erturk, D. J. Innam, An experimentally validated
Aperfeioamento de Pessoal de Nvel Superior) through a bimorph contilever model for piezoelectric energy
graduate scholarship. The third author thanks CNPq- garvesting from base excitations, Vol. 18, 025009
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfico e (18pp), 2009.
Tecnolgico. Professor Paulo Varoto acknowledges
FAPESP (grant # 09/06347-7). [13] F. Lu, H. P. Lee, S. P. Lim, Modeling and analysis of
micro piezoelectric power generators for micro-

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 604
Modeling and simulation of a piezoelectric cantilever beam for power harvesting generation
A. T. Mineto, M.P. Souza Braun, H. A. Navarro, P. S. Varoto.

electromechanical-systems applications, Smart


Materials and Structures, Vol.13, pp. 57-63, 2004.

[14] D. J. Inman, Engineering Vibration, 2nd edition,


Prentice Hall, 2000.

[15] E. F. Crawley, J. de Luis, Use of Piezoelectric


Actuators as Elements of Intelligent Structures, Present
as Paper 86-0878 at the AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS
Active Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials
Conference, San Antonio, TX, May 19-21, 1986.

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Proceedings of the 9th Brazilian Conference on Dynamics Control and their Applications
Serra Negra, SP - ISSN 2178-3667 605

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