Experimental Study to Harvest Energy from Asphalt Roadways

摘要

This paper presents preliminary results of the evaluation of several prototype systems for harvesting energy from the action of traffic on roadways. These systems utilize piezoelectric elements that respond to traffic-induced compressive stresses, and are referred to as HiSEC (Highway Sensing and Energy Conversion) modules. The evaluation of the HiSEC prototypes involves laboratory testing of their power output as a function of stress, finite element (FE) simulation of their mechanical behavior and economic analysis of the value of the power being generated. The results available to date suggest that this technology shows promise in powering equipment independently of the power grid.