A hybrid harvester using a magnetically coupled pendulum structure for limb movement

Energy harvesting and conversion devices can provide power solutions for wearable devices. In this paper, a piezo-electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester (PEMHEH) using a magnetically-coupled pendulum structure for low-frequency limb movement is proposed. PEMHEH consists of a piezoelectric generator (PEG) unit including a main piezoelectric transducer, an auxiliary piezoelectric transducer (APT), and an electromagnetic generator (EMG) unit. It can reduce the starting frequency and increase the output performance by adopting a slidable mass block, the APT, and the rational magnetic pole arrangement. Its theoretical model is established, and magnetic simulation and experimental tests are carried out. The results show it can be started at 0.4 Hz excitation, and the output performance is maximized at 2 Hz. The maximum voltages of the piezoelectric generator and electromagnetic generator units are 5.29 V and 457 mV, and the maximum power is 286.16 μW (30 kΩ) and 11.25 μW (2 kΩ). The PEMHEH can light up LED boards at a 1 Hz excitation frequency. It has the potential to power wearable devices.