Modeling and Experimental Evaluation of 1-3 Stacked Piezoelectric Transducers for Energy Harvesting

Piezoelectric energy harvesting in roadways can power distributed sensors and electronics by capturing underutilized mechanical energy from traffic. In this research, 1-3 stacked piezocomposites were developed and evaluated to determine optimal designs for multiple applications. The design of these transducers aimed at operating in a multitude of scenarios, under compressive loads (1–10 kN) at low-frequency (10 Hz) applications, intended to simulate vehicular forces. Power comparison was utilized between numerous transducers to determine the most efficient configuration for electromechanical energy conversion. Design guidelines were based on mechanical integrity, output power, active piezoelectric volume percentage, aspect ratio, and geometric factors. The forces applied in this study were reliant on the average vehicle weight. An intermediate PZT volume fraction and moderate pillar aspect ratios were found to yield the highest power output, with the stacked 1-3 composite significantly outperforming a monolithic PZT of a similar size.