Multi-physics optimisation of energy harvesters
ISSN: 0332-1649
Article publication date: 7 September 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe an electro-mechanical lumped parameters model used for the simulation of an energy harvester device.
Design/methodology/approach
The model is taking into account the main features of both mechanical and electromagnetic phenomena keeping the computational burden as low as possible to insert it inside an optimisation loop.
Findings
The simulation tool is then used to design the main parameters of an energy harvester able to supply a computer mouse by converting mechanical energy provided by the computer user.
Originality/value
The use of a multi-physics analysis tool inside one optimisation loop is a difficult task that requires the honing of all the modules involved in the performance evaluation. The developed approach has shown to be reliable, efficient and has been a key factor in the development of a new product.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Authors would like to acknowledge the precious contributes given by the ST-microelectronics group in Cornaredo (Milano), Italy, to the development of the active electronic interface.
Citation
Bonisoli, E., Manca, N. and Repetto, M. (2015), "Multi-physics optimisation of energy harvesters", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 34 No. 5, pp. 1392-1403. https://doi.org/10.1108/COMPEL-02-2015-0047
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited