Statistical Analysis of Energy Harvesting From Functionally Graded Cantilever Beam with Piezoelectric Layer

One of the new methods for powering low power electronic devices is the use of mechanical energies due to vibrations. In this method, the piezoelectric material is employed for converting the mechanical energy of vibration into the electrical energy. The advantage of this method is needlessness of using the battery charging system. In this paper, the functionally graded (FG) cantilever with the piezoelectric layer is considered as energy harvester system. The mathematical model of the system is constructed and the governing equation for electromechanical coupling is presented. Then the effects of the system parameters on the generated power is studied. Finally, by considering uncertainties in energy harvester parameters, the effect of uncertainties on the produced energy is investigated by Monte-Carlo simulation method for the first time. The results show that although the amount of generated power in the first natural frequency is higher than the other frequencies, but around the first natural frequency, the effect of uncertainties is increased and thus, the reliability of the energy harvester will be decreased.