Piezoelectric wind turbine

Ravi Anant Kishore and Shashank Priya

*
Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems (CEHMS)
Bio-Inspired Materials and Devices Laboratory (BMDL)
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061


ABSTRACT
In past few years, there has been significant focus towards developing small scale renewable energy based
power sources for powering wireless sensor nodes in remote locations such as highways and bridges to conduct
continuous health monitoring. These prior efforts have led to the development of micro-scale solar modules, hydrogen
fuel cells and various vibration based energy harvesters. However, the cost effectiveness, reliability, and practicality of
these solutions remain a concern. Harvesting the wind energy using micro-to-small scale wind turbines can be an
excellent solution in variety of outdoor scenarios provided they can operate at few miles per hour of wind speed. The
conventional electromagnetic generator used in the wind mills always has some cogging torque which restricts their
operation above certain cut-in wind speed. This study aims to develop a novel piezoelectric wind turbine that utilizes
bimorph actuators for electro-mechanical energy conversion. This device utilizes a Savonius rotor that is connected to a
disk having magnets at the periphery. The piezoelectric actuators arranged circumferentially around the disk also have
magnets at the tip which interacts with the magnetic field of the rotating disk and produces cyclical deflection. The wind
tunnel experiments were conducted between 2-12 mph of wind speeds to characterize and optimize the power output of
the wind turbine. Further, testing was conducted in the open environment to quantify the response to random wind gusts.
An attempt was made towards integration of the piezoelectric wind turbine with the wireless sensor node.

Keywords: Piezoelectricity, Wind Energy, Small-scale, Renewable Energy, Savonius Turbine

*spriya@vt.edu; phone 1 540 231-0745; fax 1 540 231-2903

1. INTRODUCTION
Sensor nodes are now ubiquitous. They are used in variety of applications such as gas and chemical sensors,
temperature, pressure and humidity monitoring, motion detector, structural health monitoring, and explosives detection
[1]. The over-expanding usages of sensors however have brought challenges in terms of finding a suitable power source,
especially for the remote applications. In majority of cases, currently, lithium cell batteries are used, which presents
maintenance challenge because these batteries need to be regularly monitored and replaced. Recent developments in the
field of power electronics and wireless technologies have brought the power requirements of the sensor nodes in the
range of ~mW. This power requirement is further expected to go down as the progress continues to occur in developing
energy efficient electronics. Thus it has become possible to develop renewable energy based power sources that can
make the sensor nodes self-sustainable.
Few attempts made in the past have led to the development of micro-to-small scale solar modules, hydrogen
fuel cells and various vibration based energy harvesters. However, the cost effectiveness of these devices and their
reliability has remained a concern. Wind energy may be an excellent option as an energy source because its available
throughout the day. But, the problem lies with the fact that most of the conventional wind turbines operate at a very high
wind speed (above 25 mph) and they need to be installed at several feet above the ground. For ground level applications,
such as charging sensor nodes, wind energy harvesters need to operate at very low wind speed (on order of few miles per
Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies 2013,
edited by Kevin M. Farinholt, Steven F. Griffin, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690, 869009
2013 SPIE CCC code: 0277-786X/13/$18 doi: 10.1117/12.2009551
Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690 869009-1
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hour). Development of a micro-scale wind turbine for very low wind speed applications presents two major problems.
Firstly, as the size of the turbine and operating wind speed decreases, the output power decreases drastically and below
certain limit it becomes difficult to justify the cost-effectiveness of the device. Secondly, the conventional electric
generator used for mechanical to electrical energy conversion has certain cogging torque which restricts the cut-in wind
speed of the wind turbine. Cut-in speed of a wind turbine is defined as the minimum wind speed where the wind turbine
starts producing power. Decrease in wind speed decreases the aerodynamic torque on the wind turbine blades and when
the aerodynamic torque is below the cogging torque of the generator then turbine cant start its own. Therefore, the wind
energy harvesters for the applications near the ground level at the very low wind speed need unconventional approach.
Some of the techniques used currently are based on vibration produced by aerodynamic instability such as vortex-
induced vibration, flutter, galloping, and buffeting [2]. These non-conventional micro-to-small scale wind energy
harvesting methods have two main limitations. Firstly, they normally have much lower power density in comparison to
the conventional turbines and secondly, their operating wind speed condition is limited to a small range. The current
study aims to blend conventional wind energy harvesting (wind turbine) approach with non-conventional (vibration
based energy harvester) approach. The advantage, we can expect, is that this method has reasonable power density as
well as very low operating wind speed (below 10 mph).
There have been few attempts made in the past in this direction. In 2004, Priya et al. [3] developed piezoelectric
windmill which utilizes horizontal axis wind turbine rotor for wind energy harvesting and piezoelectric bimorph
actuators for electro-mechanical power conversion. This device has 12 piezoelectric bimorphs arranged along the
circumference of the wind turbine rotor shaft in the cantilever beam form. The oscillating torque to vibrate the bimorphs
was generated using the camshaft gear mechanism. The study was further extended in 2005 and a theoretical model to
estimate the generated electric power output by above piezoelectric wind mill was presented [1]. In 2012, Scott et al.
attempted to develop a contact-less wind turbine which utilizes vertical axis Sarvonius wind turbine rotor and
piezoelectric bimorphs [4]. The proposed device has a series of piezoelectric bimorphs with magnets at the tip placed
horizontally and around the wind turbine rotor shaft as cantilever beams. The alternating polarity magnets mounted at the
periphery of the rotor were used to induce harmonic vibration in the piezoelectric elements. Since the piezoelectric
bimorphs were not in contact with the turbine rotor, it was suggested that this contact-less approach would minimize
frictional losses and thus could make the device more suitable for low wind speed applications.
The present study aims to develop a vertical axis piezoelectric wind turbine which can operate near the ground
level where wind speed is below 10 mph. We have used contact-less electro-mechanical energy conversion approach
proposed by Scott et al. for the same reasons i.e. to avoid frictional losses and to extend the life span of piezoelectric
bimorphs. The proposed piezoelectric wind turbine was extensively examined used wind tunnel experiments at the wind
speeds between 2 mph and 12 mph and it was found that it can produce electrical power of 4.5 mW at its rated wind
speed of 9.5 mph. This figure increases to 7 mW at wind speed of 11.5 mph.

2. PROTOTYPE DESIGN AND DESIGN SPECIFICATION
Figure 1 shows the prototype of piezoelectric wind turbine. It consists of a Savonius type vertical axis wind
turbine having diameter of 96 mm and height of 100 mm. Below the Savonius turbine, there is a 63 mm diameter disk
shaped rotor which has eight magnets arranged in alternating polarity at its periphery. Savonius wind turbine used in this
study is a drag based wind turbine which is not considered as efficient as lift based horizontal axis and vertical axis
(Darrieus type) wind turbines. However, it has several advantages over other wind turbines [4]. First, it is very simple to
design and construct. Secondly, it has higher starting torque therefore lower cut-in wind speed. Thirdly, it doesnt require
any additional component like tail to align itself in wind direction. Lastly, it has ability to self-start and thus doesnt
require startup motor to begin rotation. Considering the simplicity, compactness and functional advantages at low wind
speed, we decided to use Savonius wind turbine rotor.
It can be observed from Figure 1 that piezoelectric bimorphs were arranged around the rotor in vertical position
like cantilever beams clamped at the bottom. Each of the bimorphs has magnets at its tip. Magnets used for rotor as well
as at the tip of bimorph are 1/8" x 1/8" x 1/8" thick, grade N42 - nickel plated magnets purchased from K & J Magnetics,
Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690 869009-2
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S a v o n i u



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3. EXPERI
ntal set-up and
Subsonic Open
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wind tunnel w
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d turbine rotor
SA). We used
of the wind tu
dy the perform
amed ohmSO
ectric bimorphs
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ame polarity.
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erates an altern
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IMENTAL S
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it wind tunnel w
with uniform f
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wide and 0.7 m
of each of the
rectify ac volta
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nating magneti
ached at the t
tress in piezoe
nd turbine prototy
SET-UP
iagram of the
unnel facility a
which is powe
flow and low
ped with a jet c
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Model PS-217
or was measure
wind turbine at
OS-260 by IE
nnected to the r
fied DC voltag
er in parallel.
put DC voltag
ment produces
ed in this study
mm thick. It ha
bimorphs are c
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to rotate alon
ic field becaus
tip of the bimo
electric bimorp

ype
e wind tunnel
available in Ae
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rectifier to rect
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ion. The
rtment at
365 Twin
maximum
act of the
chometer
meter to
al Multi-
s was an
g voltage.
ifier was
the load
ment was
Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690 869009-3
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T a c h o m ,

C P U

l o n i t o r


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seen that, irre
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ative value. The
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Power coeffici
wind power. M

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peed. Figure 3
ent wind speeds
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he power coeffi
he wind speed,
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e experiments w
Figure 2.
4. RESULTS
piezoelectric w
energy of the
ezoelectric effe
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athematically,

l power produc
3 shows the po
s obtained usin
e with respect t
and radius of t
icient of the Sa
the maximum
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were carried ou
Experimental S
S AND DISC
wind turbine br
wind turbine.
ect. Mechanica
as the amount
it is calculated
ced by the win
ower coefficie
ng wind tunnel
to the free wind
the wind turbin
avonius rotor v
power coeffic
ean of the volta
ut at wind spee
et-up
CUSSION
roadly involve
Secondly, mec
al efficiency of
t of mechanica
d using followi

nd turbine, p is
ent vs. tip-spee
l experiment. T
d speed and it i
ne, respectively
vs. tip speed ra
cient of the giv
age and the ang
eds between 2

es two steps. F
chanical energy
f a wind turbin
al power produ
ing expression
s density of air
ed-ratio of the
Tip speed ratio
is mathematica
y.
atio at various
ven wind turbin
gular velocity r
mph to 12 mph
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y of the wind tu
ne is measured
uced by a wind
[5]:

r, A denotes ro
Savonius wind
() basically e
ally given as [5
wind speeds. I
ne occurs at an
recorded
h.
c energy
turbine is
in terms
d turbine
(1)
otor area
d turbine
evaluates
5]:
(2)
It can be
n optimal
Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690 869009-4
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- / - 8 . 5 m p
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speed and n
efficiency of
optimal num
and 6 at vari
number of pi
any fixed wi
and then it d
number of bi
of bimorphs
inversely pro
the load. Als
However, the
the vibration
frequency at
beyond reson
on the numb
reaches to 11
study. Figure
single bimorp
power outpu
frequency of
io which is alm
power coefficie
wind speed was
e in wind speed
ctro-mechanica
f vibration and
disk which con
umber of piez
f the piezoelec
mber of piezoele
ious wind spee
iezoelectric bim
nd speed first
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imorphs and th
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oportional to th
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ere is a thresho
nal frequency
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nance frequenc
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e 5 summarizes
ph produces th
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al energy conv
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morphs at vario
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ly when electr
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o 9 k when th
he capacitance
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in piezoelectri
speed where po
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s were conduc
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oad and wind s
lectric load an
her increased.
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ase in the numb
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on is highest, a
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bimorph; it inc
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load at a fixed
nst the paradig
mber of bimorp
avonius rotor is
he wind turbin
eresting to not
Tip Speed Ratio
oelectric wind
cy of vibration
onal rate of th
ct). Therefore,
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e bimorph but
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ith increases i
ops to almost
increase in w
and further incr
The wind speed
creases with in
r interesting ob
d wind speed of
gm that higher
phs increases lo
s a drag-based
ne in this study
te that the pow
o
turbine depend
is dependent u
he wind turbine
it can be con
orphs and the
g the number o
by the wind tu
be noted that e
s maximum va
optimal load c
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in wind speed
zero. This is b
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d at which reso
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number of bim
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wind turbine t
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ds on two facto
upon the rotati
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ncluded that e
wind speed. T
of bimorphs be
urbine having
electric power o
alue at an optim
changes with ch
with increase in
timal load resi
roportional redu
at fixed elect
because of the
reaches its re
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onance occurs
mber of bimor
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an be observed
morphs produc
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onal rate
the wind
electrical
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etween 1
different
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mal load
hange in
n number
stance is
uction in
tric load.
fact that
esonance
vibration
depends
rphs and
from this
d that the
ces more
eases the
Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690 869009-5
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ONCLUSION
opment of a
ow 10 mph. M
aded Savoniu
5 mph.
or was found
the piezoelec
.
to be equal t
d of 9.5 mph



N
piezoelectric
Major finding
us wind turbin
to be around
ctric wind tur
to one. The w
and external
(b) Numb
(d) Numb
wind turbin
gs of the study
ne has power
0.55.
rbine varies
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load of 20 k
ber of bimorphs=
ber of bimorphs=
ne that is targ
y can be summ
r coefficient b
between 4.5
with single b
.
=2
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geted to
marized
between
mW to
bimorph


Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8690 869009-6
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Acknowled
Center for E


(e) Nu
Fig
dgement: The
Energy Harve
umber of bimorp
gure 5. Effect of
e authors gra
esting Materia
phs=5
Figure 4. Electr
f number of bimo
atefully ackno
als and System


ric Power vs. ex

orphs on electric

owledge the
ms (CEHMS)
(f) Numbe
xternal load
c load (wind spe
financial sup
) and NIST.
er of bimorphs=
eed = 9.5 mph)
pport provide
=6

ed by NSF I/

/UCRC:
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[5] Akwa, J. V., Vielmo, H. A., Petry, A. P., A review on the performance of Savonius wind turbines, Renewable and
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