A Miniaturization Strategy for Harvesting Vibration Energy Utilizing Helmholtz Resonance and Vortex Shedding Effect

In this letter, we report a miniaturization strategy for harvesting a low-frequency random vibration energy with a piezoelectric energy harvesting (EH) system utilizing coupled Helmholtz resonance and vortex shedding effect. This is made possible by transferring the low-frequency vibration energy into a pressurized fluid, which is in turn converted into predefined, pressure-independent high-frequency energy harvested by the device. The vibration-pressurized fluid conversion extends the device sampling frequency band; enables efficient harvesting of broadband low vibration frequencies with small form factor. Proof of concept of the proposed strategy has been demonstrated with an AlN-based MEMS EH, which delivered an output power density of 95.5 mW/cm
³
under a constant input airflow at 4.2 lbf/in
²
pressure.