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Harvesting rainfall energy by means of
piezoelectric transducer
Abstract In this paper a detailed study on the electromechanical model, as well as accurate uncertainty
piezoelectric energy harvesting of rainfall is presented. analysis of measured data is required.
Different features have been taken into account in order to Another aspect regarding the production of electricity
define the limits in this energy harvesting. Only commercial from rain is related to the protection of the soil. In times
transducers have been considered: a lead zirconate titanate of sowing, the soil is protected by sheeting to protect the
and polyvinylidene difluoride transducer.
seeds. Sheets must be used to damp the energy of rainfall
Keywordsenergy harvesting, piezoelectric.
and prevent the disintegration and the collapse of the
rocks which can be turned in hazardous landslides. In the
first case the protective sheeting have seasonal character,
I. INTRODUCTION not compatible with the installation of photovoltaic
Today, renewable energy sources are widely promoted systems; in the second case the need to protect soil in
worldwide [1-10]. Among renewable energy sources, fuel steep points cannot provide ideal conditions for the
cell use has been deeply investigated for a wide variety of deployment of solar panels. The question is if a
research areas, from handheld devices to household piezoelectric sheet can provide a solution to these
appliances [11-15]. Due to the combined heat-power problems.
generation option, fuel cells are the most promising
source of energy for residential use, often coupled with II. PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS AND MODEL
other renewable sources as photovoltaic arrays. In recent In the experiments two types of piezoelectric materials
years, together with a rapidly growing interest in have been taken into consideration: piezoelectric ceramic
renewable energy sources and their reliable working [16- Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) and polyvinylidene
19], much attention has been given to the possibility of difluoride (PVDF). This choice was made to try to
generating energy without the use of conventional provide a comprehensive overview of the possibility to
thermal power or nuclear plants, in order to meet also the extract energy from precipitation. Indeed, the presence of
growing demand for energy in developing countries. A lead in PZT transducer places him among the materials
discussion that it is undertaken relates to convert, by shall not be used to avoid contaminating the environment.
means of piezoelectric plates, the kinetic energy Piezoelectricity is a property present in many materials,
possessed by the drops of rainwater into electrical energy which, subjected to mechanical stress, develop electrical
[20-21]. For this application, since a limited amount of charges on their surface (direct piezoelectric effect) and,
environmental energy is drawn, the power conversion vice versa, subjected to an electric field, are deformed
efficiency of the whole harvesting system is the key mechanically (effect inverse piezoelectric). The ability of
target, even overcoming the conventional performance piezoelectric materials to convert electrical energy into
indicators [22-23]. In the literature, several solutions to mechanical and vice versa depends on their crystalline
improve the power conversion efficiency are proposed structure. The necessary condition occurs because the
[24-28].The works reported in the literature agree that the piezoelectric effect is the absence of a center of symmetry
single drop of water hitting the piezoelectric plates in the crystal, which is responsible for charge separation
generates voltages less than the tens of volts. The between positive and negative ions and the formation of
objective of this study is to demonstrate whether similar the Weiss domains, i.e. groups of dipoles with parallel
values can certainly be used for feeding single electronic orientation. Applying an electric field to a piezoelectric
devices, by means of storage systems, or connected in material, the Weiss domains are aligned in proportion to
series and parallel may be desirable for the supply of the field. Consequently, the size of the material change,
power equipment. Accurate system modeling is key to a by increasing or decreasing if the direction of the Weiss
successful conclusion of the overall design process. In the domains is the same as or opposite to the electric field.
literature, the importance of accurate system modeling as To describe in simplistic terms the direct effect it can be
well as the chance of a unique co-simulation environment said that by applying an external force to a piezoelectric
to match several heterogeneous models is widely material the modification of the positions of the ions in
addressed [29-30]. For this purpose accurate the crystal lattice induces a separation of charge that
635
primary circuit, with secondary voltage which represents
the voltage on the load of the piezoelectric generator.
By employing the electromechanical model a first
investigation on the shape of the transducer is made:
considering a constant rain drop source of stress (5mm),
the outgoing power is maximized if w=3.3mm and Le=
25-30mm. This result has been tested on PVDF
transducers that have been shaped according to these
directives.
w Lb
b
Le
Lto
Fig. 2. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers: V22BL in the top and t
V22B in the bottom of the picture.
636
Figure 5 Three signals acquired: the first presents the typical behavior, a large positive pulse followed by a second smaller; the second signal acquired
differs from the first one because of two negative pulses; the third signal acquired presents only positive pulse. The waveform of the signals is often
conditioned by the presence of the water film on the transducers.
5,00E-06
4,50E-06 single PVDF
4,00E-06 two PVDF
3,50E-06
Power (W)
3,00E-06
2,50E-06
2,00E-06
1,50E-06
1,00E-06
5,00E-07
0,00E+00
Fig. 6 Waveform of the voltage given by a PVDF transducer in
cantilever configuration. Oscillations are due to the particular structure.
Load (k)
In Fig. 7 the power extracted from the single drop of Fig. 8 Power extracted from single drop of water using a single
water, in the case of PZT transducers, for to the loads of and a double PVDF transducers.
10, 22, 47, 100, 220, 470 k is represented. The two
transducers have values of comparable powers, this is due An explanation can be given to this behavior: the two
to the fact that both have equal amplitude of piezoelectric drops of water do not affect the transducers
material, while it varies the length of the material which simultaneously, so generating oscillating pulses in delay
constitutes the shell. or with opposing phases, resulting in a reduction of
In Fig. 8 the power extracted from the single drop of voltage at the terminals. The shift to higher load resistors
water, in the case of PVDF transducers, for to the loads of in the position of the maximum, in the case of the two
10, 15, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82, 100, 150, 180, 470 k PVDF in parallel, is attributable to an adaptation of the
is represented. Two cases are studied a single PVDF system to double capacity for constant pulsation of
transducer and two set in parallel. Contrary to what could oscillation. In order to improve the power extractable
be expected maximum values of power are attributable to from a system of two transducers in parallel, a bridge
the case of single piezoelectric and not to the two parallel. rectifier could be used, even if part of the signal
generated by the drop can be absorbed by diodes of the
1,30E-06 bridge (0.6V).
Volture V22B
IV. DISCUSSION
1,10E-06 Volture V22BL
If the energy possessed by raindrops is taken into
Power (W)
637
By comparing the energy and the minimum and [6] V. Di Dio, R. Miceli, and M. Trapanese, The use of sea
maximum power possessed by the drops of water, waves for generation of electrical energy: A linear tubular
contained in the second paragraph, with those made asynchronous electrical generator, in Oceans Conference
available to the terminals of the transducers, it is clear Record (IEEE), 2007.
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that there is a low conversion efficiency, due to the induction motor, in Proceedings of the Mediterranean
phenomenon of splashing and also to mechanical losses Electrotechnical Conference - MELECON, 1996, vol. 1,
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by acting on the mechanical characteristics of PVDF photovoltaic system suitable for the battery pack charging
transducers. Furthermore, particular attention will be paid of an electrically power assisted velocipede,Symposium
to partial discharge analysis on this transducer [34-35] on Power Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation and
A future development will study in detail the use of Motion (SPEEDAM), 2012, pp. 11421147.
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and the electronic device. distribution system towards an active network. Part I:
preliminary design and scenario perspectives ICCEP2011
V. CONCLUSIONS pp. 9-14, Ischia, Italy, 14 -16 June 2011 , E-ISBN: 978-1-
This paper reports a detailed study on the 4244-8928-2 Print ISBN: 978-1-4244-8929-9 DOI:
10.1109/ICCEP.2011.6036321
piezoelectric energy harvesting of rainfall and its limits.
[11] V. Boscaino, G. Capponi, and F. Marino, Experimental
Two types of commercial piezoelectric transducers were test on a fuel cell-supercapacitor hybrid power supply for a
considered: Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) and digital still camera Proceedings of the IEEE International
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transducers, a single and a double PVDF transducers; this fuel cell battery hybrid power supply for portable
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generates a greater amount of power. Symposium on Power Electronics, Electrical Drives,
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Italy, 2010, pp.580-585.
This publication was partially supported by PON [13] Gritli Y, Di Tommaso A O, Filippetti F, Miceli R, Rossi C,
PON01_00700-2010 Ambition Power Italian Research Chatti C. Investigation of Motor Current Signature and
Programme. This work has been developed in the Vibration Analysis for Diagnosing Rotor Broken Bars in
L.E.PR.E. laboratory of DEIM. Double Cage Induction Motors . In: Proc. of the 2012
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