A Piezoelectric Wind Energy Harvester for Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper proposes a miniaturized piezoelectric wind energy harvester to power wireless sensor networks. The harvester consists of a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) cantilever beam and a flexible plate. The flexible plate triggers flutter motion at a low wind speed, causing the rigid PZT cantilever beam to vibrate with large amplitude. Two styles of the harvesters were designed and tested in a wind tunnel. The critical wind speed, the output voltage and the power of the wind energy harvesters were measured. Maximum power of 0.199 and 0.666 mW were obtained at the wind speeds of 10 and 15 m/s, respectively. As an alternative power source, the harvesters have great potential to replace the battery or extend the lifespan of the wireless sensor networks.