Flow-Induced Energy Harvesting: Conceptual Design and Numerical Analyses of a Piezoelectric Bender for Smart Building Applications

This study focuses on the conceptual design and the numerical analysis of an Energy Harvesting (EH) device, based on piezoelectric materials, for the sustainability of smart buildings. Before that, a comprehensive literature review on the topic takes place. The device consists in an aerodynamic fin attached to a piezoelectric element that makes use of the airflow to harvest energy. The principal utilization of this device is for energy autonomous sensors, with applications in smart buildings. A performance-based parametric analysis is conducted (in ANSYS®) in order to assess the optimal values of some design and operating condition parameters, including length, width, thickness, constitutive material of the bender and velocity and turbulence intensity of the incoming airflow. The response parameters used for evaluating the performances include the bender maximum tip displacement, the bender vibration frequency, and the rms of the voltage generated by the device. Considerations are made on possible applications in other sectors (structures and transportations infrastructures).