New insight into energy harvesting via axially-loaded beams

Driven by the study of Leland and Wright [1], this manuscript delves into the qualitative understanding of energy harvesting using axially-loaded beams. Using a simple nonlinear electromechanical model and the method of multiple scales, we study the general nonlinear physics of energy harvesting from a piezoelectric beam subjected to static axial loading and traversal dynamic excitation. We obtain analytical expressions for the steady-state response amplitude, the voltage drop across a resistive load, and the output power. We utilize these expression to study the effect of the axial loading on the overall nonlinear behavior of the harvester. It is demonstrated that, in addition to the ability of tuning the harvester to the excitation frequency via axial load variations, the axial load aids in i) increasing the electric damping in the system thereby enhancing the energy transfer from the beam to the electric load, ii) amplifying the effect of the external excitation on the structure, and hence, increases the steady-state response amplitude and output voltage, and iii) increasing the bandwidth of the harvester by enhancing the effective nonlinearity of the system.