Universidad Piloto de Colombia 1

Power Generation By Piezoelectric Effect

Cesar Andrs Santos Novoa, 1011286, Piloto de Colombia University.

Abstract--- This project is in focus in a new way to energy

generation, although it was discovered in 1880 and is used
in many devices as a transducer, until recently is cataloged
like renewable energy. Piezoelectric materials has the
ability to transform mechanical strain energy into electrical
charge and vice versa due its molecular structure. So, this
property can take advantage of busy locations, when
people walk over piezoelectric tiles can produce energy
inadvertently.
Keywords: Energy Harvester, Piezoelectric Element, Electric
Power generation.
I.

INTRODUCCTION

Due to energy problems around the world, there are many

researches to find a new way to energy generation. Since
1880 was discovered a material with an excellent property,
this can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
and vice versa. Also can used in many applications, like a
transducer, sensor or generator. This way to produce energy
is enhancing because there are many firms which are
improving those materials with researches and new
technology to put this device in list like the best way to
power generation.
This project is based on a literature review made previously
about this topic. In those documents it develop projects with
piezoelectric materials and evaluated its efficiency, in others
compare piezoceramics to know which one is better. Some
use the body's vibration in clothes to the energy conversion,
and chiefly in footwear because the people's weight is upon
the material and can produce more energy. So, if there are
piezoelectric tiles in busy places, people who pass over there
are going to generate energy unconsciously, and can supply
power to street lighting.
II.

PREVIOUS WORK

A. Harvester Model
In general, the mechanical energy is converted into
mechanical energy in the host structure. Then, this energy is

converted into electrical energy by the use of piezoelectric

material, and is finally transferred into electrical form to a
load and/or a storage stage. Therefore, three basic processes
are performed: conversion of the input energy (vibration)
into mechanical energy (strain) using a cantilever structure,
electromechanical conversion using piezoelectric material,
and electrical energy transfer [1].
The most common and easily available piezoelectric material
according to [2] is PZT, due its large piezoelectric coefficient
and dielectric constant, allowing it to produce more power
for a given input acceleration. A majority of piezoelectric
generators that has been fabricated and tested use some
variation of PZT. Also it is necessary a circuit to enhance the
piezoelectric output signal, which can have voltage inversion
circuitry, rectifier, power converter for conditioning, and the
load. This can change but those are the usual.
B.

Researches

In most of projects and studies is used piezoceramics by

means of vibration for power generation, and according to
[1], there are three techniques to harvest the energy from
the vibration: electrostatic, electromagnetic, and
piezoelectric. And as stated by [3] electrostatic transducers
are more readily implemented in standard processes but
require a separate voltage source (such as a battery) to
begin the conversion cycle, and electromagnetic transducers
typically output AC voltages well below 1 volt in magnitude.
But [1] ensures that piezoelectric materials have superior
performance because they can efficiently convert
mechanical strain to an electric charge without any
additional power and have an easy installation.
Also piezoelectric materials can be categorized as noted in
[4] into piezoceramics and piezopolymers. Piezoceramics
have large electro-mechanical coupling constants and
provide high energy conversion rate, but they are too brittle
to use in some environments. On the other hand,
piezopolymers are the opposite; they have smaller constants
compared to piezoceramics, but are very flexible.

Universidad Piloto de Colombia 2

On the other hand a group of MIT researchers inserted
devices under the sole of shoes, one of which used PZT and
the other of which used PVDF. They reported that when
using PZT, the maximum voltage of PZT was 150V at a load
resistance of 250k . In this case, the maximum electricity
was recorded as 80mW, and the average electricity was
1.8mW. For PVDF, the maximum voltage was 60V at a load
resistance of 250k . In this case, the maximum electricity
was recorded to be 20mW, and the average electricity to be
1.1Mw [5].

III.

Picture 2. Piezoelectric circuit in parallel

METHODOLOGY

After reading published papers about piezoelectric projects,

and look about these devices on web, it was necessary find
the piezoelectric material and used it to check the
properties. This material isn't as commercial as other
elements, however some electronic stores sell small
piezoelectric discs like appear in the picture 1. Despite its
size, those discs can produce a peak around 5 volts but with
an electrical current very low. This energy is able to turn on a
led for a short time.

Picture 3. Piezoelectric circuit in series

There is a device named Buck-boost that can
equilibrate the potency, when increasing the electric
current and decreasing the voltage. So, it is trying to
found the device to connect with piezoelectric discs
and evaluate the efficiency. On the other hand it can
combine with a dynamo to enhance the current and
produce more voltage, is necessary a regulated signal
to load a battery for example, so it needed a regulator
circuit.
IV.

Picture 1. Piezoelectric discs.

It was used 30 discs to generate more energy, it was

organized in series and in parallel (Picture 2 and 3) to
verify the electrical current, but in both was similar.
Sometimes the electrical current was high in series
compared with the other and vice versa. The two ways
could light up a led, however cannot load a battery.

CONCLUSIONS

With an electric current too low is not possible load a

battery to store the energy produced. For this reason is
necessary a circuit to increasing the current enough to
allow the storage process.

Piezopolymers are the best material because is flexible

to use in footwear, but is necessary combined with
other technology due its small constants, like a dynamo
to offset the energy generated.

Universidad Piloto de Colombia 3

REFERENCES

[1] S. W. I. Wahied G. Ali, Power Analysis for

Piezoelectric Energy Harvester, Energy and Power
Engineering, vol. 4, pp. 496-505, 2012.
[2] P. C. a. N. J. Dhananjay Kumar, Piezoelectric Energy
Harvester Design and Power Conditioning, 2014.
[3] L. M. G. P. F. R. M. P. S. S. L.-M. J. G. Rocha, Energy
Harvesting From Piezoelectric Materials Fully
Integrated in Footwear, 2009.
[4] J.-H. K. J. K. Heung Soo Kim, A Review of
Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Based on
Vibration, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRECISION
ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING , vol. 12, n 6,
pp. 1129-1141, 2011.
[5] S.-N. Y. Y.-B. H. J.-H. P. Dong-Gun Kim, Energy
Harvesting Strategy Using Piezoelectric Element
Driven by Vibration Method, Wireless Sensor
Network, vol. 2, pp. 100-107, 2010.