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Mechanical Durability Assessment of an Energy-Harvesting Piezoelectric Inverted Flag

Author

Listed:
  • Kaidong Yang

    (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 3BB, UK)

  • Andrea Cioncolini

    (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 3BB, UK)

  • Mostafa R. A. Nabawy

    (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 3BB, UK
    Aerospace Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt)

  • Alistair Revell

    (Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 3BB, UK)

Abstract

This paper presents results from a practical assessment of the endurance of an inverted flag energy harvester, tested over multiple days in a wind tunnel to provide first insights into flapping fatigue and failure. The inverted flag is a composite bimorph, composed of PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride) strips combined with a passive metallic core to provide sufficient stiffness. The flag, derived from an earlier, more extensive study, flaps with a typical amplitude of ~120 degrees and a frequency of ~2 Hz, generating a constant power of ~0.09 mW in a wind velocity of 6 m/s. The flag was observed to complete ~ 5 × 10 5 cycles before failure, corresponding to ~70 h of operation. The energy generated over this lifespan is estimated to be sufficient to power a standard low-power temperature sensor for several months at a sampling rate of one sample/minute, which would be adequate for applications such as wildfire detection, environmental monitoring, and agriculture management. This study indicates that structural fatigue may present a practical obstacle to the wider development of this technology, particularly in the context of their usual justification as a ‘deploy and forget’ alternative to battery power. Further work is required to improve the fatigue resistance of the flag material.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaidong Yang & Andrea Cioncolini & Mostafa R. A. Nabawy & Alistair Revell, 2021. "Mechanical Durability Assessment of an Energy-Harvesting Piezoelectric Inverted Flag," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2021:i:1:p:77-:d:709224
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wei, Chongfeng & Jing, Xingjian, 2017. "A comprehensive review on vibration energy harvesting: Modelling and realization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1-18.
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