Evaluation of Impact Based Piezoelectric Micro-Power Generator

Abstract

This paper reports on energy harvesting from a mechanical impact by using a piezoelectric micro-power generator. An useful electrical power is generated when the impact of a human weight is applied on a piezoelectric disk transducer. An experimental set-up of a single foot step on piezoelectric disk for harvesting the impact energy was being conducted with variable forces and impact velocity. A 44mm diameter and 10mm thick of piezoelectric disk is sandwiched between two wooden plates to be used for transforming impact from foot step into electrical energy. A range of output power of 3.8μW up to 14.5μW was measured across a variable resistive load of 10kΩ up to 1110kΩ respectively for a single foot stepped onto the device. In another experiment, a varying of impact velocity is being applied to the piezoelectric micro-power generator.