A VARIABLE INERTIA VIBRATION ENERGY HARVESTER

Abstract

In this thesis, a novel variable inertia electromagnetic vibration energy harvester is presented. The device is based on a base-excited cantilever with a tip mass whose effective moment of inertia can be adjusted through changing its angular position with respect to the beam. The device is modeled analytically to obtain its natural frequency as a function of the design parameters. The model is also used to predict the device’s dynamic response and power output. For autonomous operation, a sensor is used to measure the operating frequency and is used in conjunction with a microcontroller to continuously adjust the position of the tuning masses by a servomotor to achieve resonance. A parametric study is performed to investigate the effect of different system parameters on the tunability. Findings of the theoretical model are verified experimentally.