A review of energy harvesting techniques based on flow-induced vibrations

Flow-induced vibration (FIV) energy harvesting technology utilizes the energy present in natural, low-velocity fluid flows, and has significant advantages in sustainability, environmental adaptability, and eco-friendliness. It holds considerable importance for the development of distributed sensor networks and self-powered energy harvesting systems. However, current implementations remain immature, facing challenges such as narrow operational bandwidth, low energy conversion efficiency, and inadequate system reliability. To provide a reference for the future design and optimization of FIV energy harvesting systems, this study organizes and reviews relevant research in the field. It reviews the core mechanisms and control strategies of four mainstream vibration modes: vortex-induced vibration (VIV), flutter, galloping, and wake-induced vibration (WIV). The research status and performance characteristics of five primary energy conversion mechanisms such as piezoelectric, electromagnetic induction, triboelectric, electrostatic, and hybrid method are analyzed. This study calculated the efficiency and power density of representative energy harvesting systems, followed by analysis and summary. It was found that the amplitude and operational flow velocity range of different vibration modes can be controlled by adjusting parameters such as the oscillator shape and damping ratio. Furthermore, the practical application of energy harvesting systems based on different energy conversion mechanisms requires consideration of factors including flow velocity and power density. FIV energy harvesting systems based on different principles share common limitations such as insufficient reliability, limited efficiency, and poor material durability. Therefore, this study highlights several key directions for future improvement: innovative structural design (particularly bio-inspired design), development of novel materials, integration with artificial intelligence (AI), VIV-galloping coupling and flow field control. These methods are crucial for enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and environmental adaptability of the next-generation FIV energy harvesting systems.