ENERGY HARVESTING – NEW GREEN ENERGY

Energy Harvesting is the process in which energy is captured from a system's environment and converted into usable electric power. Energy harvesting allows electronics to operate where there's no conventional power source, eliminating the need to run wires or make frequent visits to replace batteries, that makes it the new possibility of green energy source. This short letter reports the 3 new designed energy harvesting systems based on the electromagnetic and piezoelectric effect from two universities, i.e. Lublin University of Technology (Poland) and University College Dublin (Republic of Ireland). The proposed systems can be used as a power supply for low-energy devices or in the diagnostics

IMPACT-BASED PIEZOELECTRIC ENERGY HARVESTING SYSTEM EXCITED FROM DIESEL ENGINE SUSPENSION

Vibration energy harvesting systems are using real ambient sources of vibration excitation. In our paper, we study the dynamical voltage response of the piezoelectric vibrational energy harvesting system (PVEHs) with a mechanical resonator possessing an amplitude limiter. The PVEHs consist of the cantilever beam with a piezoelectric patch. The proposed system was subjected to the inertial excitation from the engine suspension. Impacts of the beam resonator are useful to increase of system’s frequency transition band. The suitable simulations of the resonator and piezoelectric transducer are performed by using measured signal from the engine suspension. Voltage outputs of linear (without amplitude limiter) and nonlinear harvesters were compared indicating better efficiency of the nonlinear design

The Influence of Light Intensity on the Operation of Vision System in Collaborative Robot

Human-robot collaboration can be a powerful tool for increasing productivity in production systems by combining the strengths of humans and robots. Assembly operations, in particular, have shown great potential for utilizing the unique abilities of both parties. However, for robots to efficiently perform assembly tasks, components and parts must be presented in a known location and orientation, which is achieved through a process called parts feeding. Traditional automation methods for parts feeding, such as vibratory bowl feeders, are limited in their ability to accommodate variations in parts design, shape, location, and orientation, making them less flexible for use in human-robot collaboration. Recent advancements in machine vision technology have opened up new possibilities for flexible feeding systems in human-robot assembly cells. This paper explores the application of the vision system in the collaborative robot ABB Yumi and its ability in object detection. In this case, the characteristic of the vision system was determined experimentally by changing the light intensity on the test rig. The system was validated, if the angle of incidence of light affects the stability of the vision system. The results of the study demonstrate the efficiency of vision system in collaborative robot and provide insights into its industrial application

Diagnostics of Transient States in Hydraulic Pump System with Short Time Fourier Transform

In hydraulic pump system various states can occur caused by mechanical and physical phenomena. To detect them, the Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) is applied. This paper will consider an application of STFT to monitor and evaluate hydraulic pump system operation in different states of operation. For measurements of pressure and flow changes in pump, hydraulic tester and Data AcQuisition (DAQ) card was used for evaluation of qualitative and quantitative changes in the system. Results of hydraulic pump’s operation will be shown on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) charts and STFT spectrograms plots

Radial internal clearance analysis in ball bearings

Radial internal clearance (RIC) is one of the most important parameters influencing on rolling bearing exploitation in mechanical systems. Lifetime of rotary machines strongly depends on a condition of applied rolling elements, thus a study on applied clearance is very important in terms of maintenance and reliability. This paper proposes, a novel approach of studying RIC, based on a nonlinear dynamics method called recurrences. The results are confronted with standard analyses, i.e. statistical condition indicators, Fast Fourier Transform and Continuous Wavelet Transform. The application of the mentioned methods allowed us to find the optimal radial clearance for operating bearings. To ensure precise measurements of the clearance, an automated setup for RIC measurements is applied and next mounted in a plummer block and tested to finally measure vibration acceleration. The proposed methods are useful for a condition monitoring and lifetime prediction of bearings or bearing-based systems in which a proper value of radial clearance is crucial

Energy Harvester Based on a Rotational Pendulum Supported with FEM

The proposed energy harvesting system is based on a rotational pendulum-like electromagnetic device. Pendulum energy harvesting systems can be used to generate power for wearable devices such as smart watches and fitness trackers, by harnessing the energy from the human body motion. These systems can also be used to power low-energy-consuming sensors and monitoring devices in industrial settings where consistent ambient vibrations are present, enabling continuous operation without any need for frequent battery replacements. The pendulum-based energy harvester presented in this work was equipped with additional adjustable permanent magnets placed inside the induction coils, governing the movement of the pendulum. This research pioneers a novel electromagnetic energy harvester design that offers customizable potential configurations. Such a design was realized using the 3D printing method for enhanced precision, and analyzed using the finite element method (FEM). The reduced dynamic model was derived for a real-size device and FEM-based simulations were carried out to estimate the distribution and interaction of the magnetic field. Dynamic simulations were performed for the selected magnet configurations of the system. Power output analyses are presented for systems with and without the additional magnets inside the coils. The primary outcome of this research demonstrates the importance of optimization of geometric configuration. Such an optimization was exercised here by strategically choosing the size and positioning of the magnets, which significantly enhanced energy harvesting performance by facilitating easier passage of the pendulum through magnetic barriers

Experimental Verification of the Impact of Radial Internal Clearance on a Bearing’s Dynamics

This paper focuses on the influence of radial internal clearance on the dynamics of a rolling-element bearing. In the beginning, the 2—Degree of Freedom (DOF) model was studied, in which the clearance was treated as a bifurcation parameter. The derived nonlinear mathematical model is based on Hertzian contact theory and takes into consideration shape errors of rolling surfaces and eccentricity reflecting real operating conditions. The analysis showed characteristic dynamical behavior by specific clearance range, which reflects others in a low or high amplitude and can refer to the optimal clearance. The experimental validation was conducted with the use of a double row self-aligning ball bearing (SABB) NTN 2309SK in which the acceleration response was measured by various rotational velocities. The time series obtained from the mathematical model and the experiment were analyzed with the recurrence quantification analysis

Ceramic-Based Piezoelectric Material for Energy Harvesting Using Hybrid Excitation

This paper analyzes the energy efficiency of a Micro Fiber Composite (MFC) piezoelectric system. It is based on a smart Lead Zirconate Titanate material that consists of a monolithic PZT (piezoelectric ceramic) wafer, which is a ceramic-based piezoelectric material. An experimental test rig consisting of a wind tunnel and a developed measurement system was used to conduct the experiment. The developed test rig allowed changing the air velocity around the tested bluff body and the frequency of forced vibrations as well as recording the output voltage signal and linear acceleration of the tested object. The mechanical vibrations and the air flow were used to find the optimal performance of the piezoelectric energy harvesting system. The performance of the proposed piezoelectric wind energy harvester was tested for the same design, but of different masses. The geometry of the hybrid bluff body is a combination of cuboid and cylindrical shapes. The results of testing five bluff bodies for a range of wind tunnel air flow velocities from 4 to 15 m/s with additional vibration excitation frequencies from 0 to 10 Hz are presented. The conducted tests revealed the areas of the highest voltage output under specific excitation conditions that enable supplying low-power sensors with harvested energy

Possibilities of Energy Harvesting from the Suspension System of the Internal Combustion Engine in a Vehicle

The automotive industry faces huge challenge in environmental protection by reducing fossil fuels and energy consumption by developing various practical solutions in energy harvesting. The current analysis is related to the diesel engine power supply system in a passenger off-road vehicle for application of the piezoelectric energy harvesting system. Experimental tests were carried out for the three constant rotational speed values - 800, 1000 and 1500 rpm. The results pertained to operational and simulation tests of available power supply options from the engine suspension system in the vehicle, e.g. to power sensors supervising the engine's operation or other small electrical devices in the vehicle. The simulations of output voltage were conducted by means of a nonlinear model with a resonator coupled to a piezoelectric elastic beam deformed in the magnetic field to improve the band of frequency transducing kinetic mechanic energy into electric energy

Impact-based piezoelectric energy harvesting system excited from diesel engine suspension

Vibration energy harvesting systems are using real ambient sources of vibration excitation. In our paper, we study the dynamical voltage response of the piezoelectric vibrational energy harvesting system (PVEHs) with a mechanical resonator possessing an amplitude limiter. The PVEHs consist of the cantilever beam with a piezoelectric patch. The proposed system was subjected to the inertial excitation from the engine suspension. Impacts of the beam resonator are useful to increase of system’s frequency transition band. The suitable simulations of the resonator and piezoelectric transducer are performed by using measured signal from the engine suspension. Voltage outputs of linear (without amplitude limiter) and nonlinear harvesters were compared indicating better efficiency of the nonlinear design