Abstract Piezoelectric energy harvesting technology can be used for a wide range of purposes through the design of road energy harvesting devices. For the roadway piezoelectric energy harvester (RPEH) developed… Click to show full abstract
Abstract Piezoelectric energy harvesting technology can be used for a wide range of purposes through the design of road energy harvesting devices. For the roadway piezoelectric energy harvester (RPEH) developed here, a piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) is fixed at both ends to increase the tolerable load and a module durable against harsh highway environments were developed using aluminum plates, steel plates, and polypropylene bars. A maximum voltage of 66 V, maximum current of 30.37 mA and maximum output power of 830 mW were measured with 2 mm of displacement at 15 Hz using the RPEH (50 cm × 20 cm) with 80 PEH units connected in parallel. On an actual high-speed road, measurements from a medium-sized vehicle which passes the RPEH at a speed of 90 km/h record an output voltage of 46.52 Vmax, output current of 93.04 mAmax, and power of 4.3 Wmax (power density: 43.0 W/m2) at a load resistance level of 0.5 kΩ. In an actual roadway environment, the electrical energy generated by the RPEH is sufficient to operate a temperature sensor and to transmit data wirelessly.
               
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