A multifunctional device as both strain sensor and energy harvester for structural health monitoring

Zheng Jun Chew (1) , Tingwen Ruan (1) , Meiling Zhu (1) , Marise Bafleur (2) , Jean-Marie Dilhac (2)

1 University of Exeter
2 LAAS-ESE - Équipe Énergie et Systèmes Embarqués

In the context of wireless sensors (WSs) autonomous in energy, this paper presents a single macro-fiber composite (MFC) piezoelectric transducer which is used for the first time as a multifunctional device as both sensor and energy harvester in a time-multiplexing manner. The MFC is used as an energy harvester to charge up a storage capacitor. When there is sufficient energy, the WS is powered up and the MFC is used as a sensor. A circuit was implemented to harvest energy from the MFC and use the MFC as a sensor. Experiment validation shows that the MFC has an accuracy of up to 97 % as sensor and the circuit harvests energy from the MFC at its maximum power point with up to 98 % efficiency.

Mots clés: piezoelectric; strain sensor; structural health monitoring; energy harvesting; multifunctional

Domaines: Micro et nanotechnologies/Microélectronique

Zheng Jun Chew, Tingwen Ruan, Meiling Zhu, Marise Bafleur, Jean-Marie Dilhac. A multifunctional device as both strain sensor and energy harvester for structural health monitoring. IEEE SENSORS 2016, Oct 2016, Orlando, United States. pp.1 - 3, ⟨10.1109/ICSENS.2016.7808554⟩. ⟨hal-01502753⟩