STICK-SLIP ENERGY HARVESTING: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

摘要

In this paper, a design of an energy harvesting device which converts a translational relative motion to an oscillatory motion via stick-slip phenomenon is presented. In this design, an L-shape cantilever is used as an energy converter, the tip of which is rubbed by a linearly moving rubber pad. The induced stick-slip motion produces a relatively high frequency oscillation in the middle part of the cantilever during the stick phase, which is then converted to the electrical energy via a piezoelectric element attached on the cantilever surface. Testing of a proof-of-concept prototype reveals how the linear relative motion induces the stick-slip motion and the high frequency oscillation of the cantilever. The dependence of the stick-slip frequency on the design parameters is preliminary studied. Then, the load resistance optimization and the maximum output power are discussed, and the energy efficiency which is defined as the ratio of the output electrical energy to the input mechanical work during the rubbing motion is evaluated.