Analysis of a piezoelectric energy harvester system from footsteps of passersby

Abstract

Piezoelectric materials can be used in applications designed to handle a wide range of input frequencies and forces to enable energy harvesting. Although several studies have been carried out on piezoelectric energy harvesting systems, this application is still under development. The purpose of this work is to analyze the behavior and the ability to generate electrical energy through the elements in piezoelectric tiles or platforms, specifically, piezoelectric disc elements with a diameter of 27 mm. 
To do this, a platform of about 130 x 75 cm was designed to capture the footsteps of people and transmit the impact force to sensors to determine the power generation capacity of the piezoelectric elements. Tests were carried out with people weighing between 75 kg and 85 kg and the measurements obtained made possible to identify the behavior of the system and to develop a mathematical model to estimate the energy generated through the platform.
The piezoelectric elements used here proved to be fragile despite the different types of shock absorbers used to avoid their rupture. Therefore, it is recommended to delve into the design of protection mecha-nisms to extend the life of piezoelectric elements in energy collection systems.