The Nexus of IoT technology: A renewable multi-module energy harvester for self-powered on railway

Recently, the nexus of two digital technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), have contributed significantly to the advancement of high-speed rail transportation. However, implementing these digital technologies on railways powered by renewable energy holds the potential to create a reliable, intelligent, and more competent rail possible. This study approaches a hybrid renewable Multi-Module Energy Harvester (MMEH), combining solar and electromagnetic modules. The aim is to utilize this system to supply power for digital technology sensors used in applications on high-speed railways. The proposed MMEH encompasses various components, including renewable energy sources, energy conversion, and an energy storage system. The harvested energy is stored in supercapacitors and utilized power digital technologies on the railway. The feasibility and reliability of the proposed prototype are discussed through theoretical analyses, simulations, and experiments. Therefore, the solar cooling system using the ferrofluid (Fe3O4) enhanced the solar harvester's output performance. Electromagnetic harvesters generate output voltages, which are examined and analyzed through various conceptual frameworks. Observations determined that the solar harvester achieved an average output power of 3.2 W and 20.5 mW for the electromagnetic harvester. The harvester has indicated the applicability of the power output for operating the applications on the railway and intelligent sensors based on IoT technologies.