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Eelectric Energy Harvesting from Laminar Fluid Flow. Don Jenket Peter Stone Kathy Li George Waksman. Introduction. There is often a need for electrical energy where power lines cannot go Fluid flow is a persistent energy source even in the most remote locations
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EelectricEnergy Harvesting from Laminar Fluid Flow Don Jenket Peter Stone Kathy Li George Waksman
Introduction • There is often a need for electrical energy where power lines cannot go • Fluid flow is a persistent energy source even in the most remote locations • We seek to fulfill the need for electricity in remote locations by creating a portable device to convert the mechanical energy of fluid flow into electrical energy Eelectric
Energy HarvestingEel Program • Creates vorticity from laminar flow • Vortices create waves in the tail of the device • Mechanical waves in the tail are converted to electrical energy http://www.darpa.mil/dso/trans/energy/pa_opt.html Eelectric
Project Materials • Piezoelectric Polymer • Flow/Wave Tank • Electrical Circuitry • Water Barrier • Electronic Component Housing Eelectric
Piezoelectricity • A property exhibited by certain materials that serves to couple mechanical strain and electric field • The result of retained electrical poling within a material • Can be used to interconvert mechanical and electrical energy Eelectric
Choice of Piezoelectric Material http://web.media.mit.edu/~testarne/TR328/node7.html Eelectric
Design Modifications • Size & shape of barrier • Material for Barrier • Electrodes • Vortex deflectors • Size & shape of tail • Possible layering of piezoelectrics Eelectric
Risks & Uncertainties • Obtaining sufficient power • What is the minimum water velocity needed to generate waves within a given sample? • Sample durability • Fatigue failure • Environmental degradation Eelectric
Testing and Simulation • Dielectric Constant • Young’s Modulus & Elasticity • Fatigue Testing • DSC for Glass Transition Temperature • Contact Angle Measurements • Simulate turbulent water environment Eelectric
Project Goal • To produce between 0.5 W and 1 W of power in gently flowing water • Enough Power to light a LED • Gently flowing velocity ~ 2 m/s • Secondary Goal: Ability of generate power over a range of fluid velocities Eelectric
Project Timeline Eelectric