Investigating the energy harvesting potential of ferro-fluids sloshing in base-excited containers

A. Bibo, R. Masana, A. King, G. Li, M. F. Daqaq

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This paper investigates the potential of designing a vibratory energy harvester which utilizes a ferrofluid sloshing in a seismically excited tank to generate electric power. Mechanical vibrations change the orientational order of the magnetic dipoles in the ferrofluid and create a varying magnetic flux which induces an electromotive force in a coil wound around the tank, thereby generating an electric current according to Faraday's law. Several experiments are performed on a cylindrical container of volume 5×10 -5 m 3 carrying a ferrofluid and subjected to different base excitation levels. Initial results illustrate that the proposed device can be excited at one or multiple modal frequencies depending on the container's size, can exhibit tunable characteristics by adjusting the external magnetic field, and currently produces 28 mV of open-circuit voltage using a base excitation of 2.5 m/s 2 at a frequency of 5.5 Hz.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2012
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
EventActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2012 - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: Mar 12 2012Mar 15 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8341
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period3/12/123/15/12

Keywords

  • Energy harvesting
  • Ferrofluid
  • Sloshing dynamics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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