A piezoelectric cantilever with novel large mass for harvesting energy from low frequency vibrations

The piezoelectric cantilever with a large proof mass is a classic vibration energy harvesting structure. In this study, in order to harvest much more energy from low frequency vibration in the finite volume, a novel L type mass block is proposed and compared with a traditional rectangular mass block for the piezoelectric cantilever. A theoretical modeling of lumped parameter system is carried out considering the effect of mass block length on mass, stiffness and damping. A series of PZT bimorph cantilevers with brass proof mass prototypes are fabricated for the experimental verification. Their eigenfrequency and maximum piezoelectric power output are analyzed by the experiment and simulation. The piezoelectric cantilever with L type mass block avoids the weakness of decreasing the effective length of piezoelectric cantilever, and has lower eigenfrequency and larger piezoelectric power output than that with rectangular mass block. Its piezoelectric power output of 192 mW/(g2) can be obtained at the low resonant frequency of 18.1 Hz and the optimal load impedance of 5kΩ, and the unit volume power density is as high as 24.6 mW/(cm3×g2).