Modeling and Simulation of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Device in Vehicle Suspension System

This manuscript introduces a novel design of harvesting electrical energy from a mechanically excited piezoelectric element (Lead Zirconate Titanate) by utilizing the suspension system of a motor vehicle. A comprehensive analysis and investigation are carried out by deploying both mechanical and electrical domain properties. The suspension system is designed in Solidworks, and the mathematical characterization and boundary properties are employed using the Finite Element Method. Consequently, necessary experimental simulations are performed in COMSOL Multiphysics concerning both PZT-4 and PZT-8 attributes which further demonstrate a comparative analysis. Following that, the electrical system is implemented in Matlab (Simulink) which consists of an AC-DC bridge rectifier followed by a Pi Filter, a switch-mode DC-DC Boost converter, and an electrochemical lead battery. The outcome of this electromechanical system presents the potential generation of 37.88 Volt (DC) and 40.97 Volt (DC) from PZT-4 and PZT-8 respectively, which can be applied in numerous low-voltage applications of daily life.