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Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.

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Main Author: Struwig, Michael
Other Authors: Niesler, Thomas
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2023
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access_status_str Open Access
author Struwig, Michael
author2 Niesler, Thomas
author_browse Niesler, Thomas
Struwig, Michael
author_facet Niesler, Thomas
Struwig, Michael
author_sort Struwig, Michael
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127326
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:46:53.692Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127326 Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches Struwig, Michael Niesler, Thomas Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches Energy harvesting Kinematics Optimisation Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Energy harvesting is a well-established method for extending the life of battery-powered devices, such as wildlife tracking collars. However, the operating conditions of these devices provide a number of challenges, such as size and weight constraints. They are also typically exposed to the non-harmonic forms of mechanical motion associated with animal footsteps. This renders much of the existing literature inapplicable, because it applies only to harmonic excitation. We propose a microgenerator architecture that consists of a variable number of evenly spaced magnets, forming a fixed assembly that is free to move through a series of evenly spaced coils, and is supported by a magnetic spring. Based on this architecture, we develop two microgenerator design approaches, each with their own electro-mechanical system model and optimization philosophy. The first approach assumes idealized (constant velocity) motion as a proxy for optimizing for the true, non-harmonic motion. We applied this method to design an optimal energy harvester for impulsive motion, resulting in a device with a length of approximately 125 mm and tube diameter of 11 mm that generated an average power of 3.01 mW in a 40 Ω test load from a 2.2 g impact force from a walking human test subject. The same method was applied to design a 85 mm length-constrained device, which was subsequently field-tested on a wild rhinoceros. When the animal walked slowly, this device generated an average of 0.342 mW. The second approach is based on an extended time-domain system model that, after an evolutionary parameter search, can predict the temporal behaviour of a microgenerator to within 25% of the measured load voltage RMS, for any chosen input excitation. Utilizing this model, we propose an enhanced optimization process that selects a set of energy harvester design parameters that maximizes the power delivered to a resistive load, resulting in an optimized device that is specific to any choice of input excitation. The resulting optimal design has a length of approximately 135 mm and a tube diameter of 11 mm and was found to deliver an average power of 1.526 mW to a 30 Ω load when driven by a less vigorous human footstep-like motion with a 1.5 g impact force. Finally, we introduce an open-source declarative energy harvester framework, FFS, and demonstrate how it can be used to design, simulate and optimize their energy harvester models. AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Energie-ontginning is ‘n bestaande metode om die batteryleeftyd van toestelle, soos halsbande om wild op te spoor, aan te vul. Die werktoestande waarbinne so ‘n toestel moet funksioneer bied egter uitdagings, soos byvoorbeeld beperkinge op die grootte en gewig van die toestel. Die toestel word gewoonlik blootgestel aan die nie-harmoniese, meganiese beweging van diere. Die bestaande literatuur is daarom nie van toepassing nie, aangesien slegs harmoniese beweging voorheen bestudeer is. Ons stel gevolglik ‘n mikrogenerator-argitektuur voor wat bestaan uit ‘n verstelbare reeks magnete wat vas aan mekaar en eweredig versprei is, en wat vrylik deur ‘n aantal spoele kan beweeg wat ook eweredig versprei is. Die opstelling word ondersteun deur ‘n magnetiese veer. Op grond van hierdie argitektuur stel ons twee benaderings voor tov. die ontwerp, elk met sy eie elektromeganiese stelselmodel en optimaliseringsfilosofie. Die eerste benadering aanvaar ge¨ııdealiseerde (konstante snelheid) beweging in plaas van die werklike, nie-harmoniese beweging. Ons het hierdie benadering toegepas om ‘n optimale energieontginner te ontwerp vir impulsbewegings. Die resultaat is ‘n toestel wat ongeveer 125 mm lank is, met ‘n buisdeursnee van 11 mm, en wat ‘n gemiddelde 3.01 mW aan ‘n 40 Ω toetslas lewer gegewe ‘n 2.2 g trefkrag wat deur ‘n lopende, menslike proefpersoon geskep word. Dieselfde metode is ook toegepas om ‘n toestel te ontwerp waar die lengte tot 85 mm beperk is. Hierdie toestel is getoets op ‘n wilde renoster. Wanneer die renoster stadig loop het die toestel ‘n gemiddeldde drywing van 0.342 mW gelewer. Die tweede benadering is gegrond in ‘n uitgebreide tydsgebied-model wat, na ‘n evolusionˆere parametersoektog, die tydsgebied-gedrag van ‘n mikrogenerator vooruit kan skat tot binne 25% van die werklik gemeette RMS spanning, vir enige gegewe inset-opwekking. Deur van hierdie model gebruik te maak stel ons ‘n optimaliseringsproses voor wat ‘n stel parameters kies sodat die drywing aan ‘n las gemaksimeer word. ‘n lengte van ongeveer 135 mm, ‘n buisdeursnee van 11 mm, en lewer gemiddeld 1.526 mW drywing aan ‘n 30 Ω las wanneer minder energieke menslike bewegings met ‘n trefkrag van 1.5 g gebruik word. Laastens stel ons FFS, ‘n oopbron, deklaratiewe sagtewareraamwerk bekend. Ons demonstreer hoe dit gebruik kan word om energie-ontginners te ontwerp, te simuleer, en te optimaliseer. Doctorate 2023-03-06T08:17:39Z 2023-05-18T07:16:14Z 2023-03-06T08:17:39Z 2023-05-18T07:16:14Z 2023-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127326 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University vii, 104 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
Energy harvesting
Kinematics
Optimisation
Struwig, Michael
Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
title Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
title_full Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
title_fullStr Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
title_full_unstemmed Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
title_short Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
title_sort modelling and optimization of linear motion kinetic energy harvesters two approaches
topic Modelling and optimization of linear-motion kinetic energy harvesters: two approaches
Energy harvesting
Kinematics
Optimisation
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127326
work_keys_str_mv AT struwigmichael modellingandoptimizationoflinearmotionkineticenergyharvesterstwoapproaches