Development of a varying multi-cantilever beam frequency up conversion energy harvester

Abstract

This paper presents the development of a multi-cantilever beam piezoelectric based frequency up conversion energy harvester for powering portable livestock farming technologies. The design consists of the driving and generating beams. The driving beams absorb the low frequencies ranging from 5.56 to 8 Hz based on cattle movement vibrations and upconverts it to higher frequencies (47.2–76.05) that match the resonant frequencies of the generating beams. The generating beams vibrating at amplified frequencies generates output power of 3.84 mW and realizes a power density of 4740 µW/cm3. Such results demonstrate the potential of using energy harvesting to address the drawbacks of battery power in portable devices used in precision livestock farming technology.

Keywords

• Energy harvesting
• Multi-cantilever
• Frequency up conversion
• Impact
• Piezo electric
• Animal motion