A Study of shape/layout design of piezoelectric energy harvesting skin considering harvesting power and skin volume

Abstract

Piezoelectric energy harvesting skin (EH Skin) is a device which is attached on the surface of a vibrating plate to harvest electric power. This study discusses shape/layout design of the EH skin from the view of two-objective design problem to maximize harvesting power and to minimize skin volume. Characteristics found for optimal solution are: system resonance frequency close to harmonic excitation frequency for large vibration amplitude, and second, EH skin limited for the area with large surface strain.