Passive Damping Effect of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Using Optimized R-L Shunt Damping Circuit

Abstract

In this study, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric ceramics are fabricated by employing a conventional ceramic process. Piezoelectric energy harvesters with ceramic-polymer composite structures are designed and manufactured. With regard to electrical energy, we compare and analyze the energy harvesters using impedance matching by output voltage and output power. In addition, we investigate the passive vibration-damping performance of the piezoelectric energy harvesters by using an optimized R-L shunt damping circuit. The optimized R-L shunt damping circuit is modeled by an equivalent circuit of piezoelectric materials. The optimal resistor and inductor are calculated by considering various parameters such as damping ratio and tuning ratio. The optimal R-L shunt damping of the energy harvester shows good performance in attenuating mechanical vibration energy.