Energy harvesting
Energy harvesting devices convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. They are of great interest to supply small autonomous systems such as embedded sensors.
CEDRAT has developed several types of piezoelectric actuators displaying interesting properties for vibration and shock energy harvesting. Among them, Amplified Piezoelectric Actuators (APA®) combined with a mass operating in a proof mass mode are especially interesting piezoelectric generators :
- The APA® are able to bear large external vibrations because of their internal preload and their good high electromechanical coupling factor.
- The proof mass resonant frequency can be adjusted to the frequencies of the vibration source by selecting the appropriate APA® among a wide range of stiffnesses and by adapting the added mass.
Using this approach and its standard actuators, CEDRAT can easily define customised piezo generators for vibration or shock energy harvesting.
CEDRAT has also developed complete energy harvesting devices including the electronics. One of the examples given hereafter consists in a piezo generator used to supply a sensor embedded on aircraft and its RF emitter to broadcast the sensor signal.
To learn more about our components and systems for Energy Harvesting see our related publications.
