Energy Harvesting from Discontinuous Flow

Abstract

This paper deals with harvesting energy of airflow created by vehicle passing by crash barrier and use this energy for light signalization. To analyse this airflow and to design shape of a wind flap that harnesses as much energy as possible we used two-way fluid-structure interaction in ANSYS software. This wind flap is mechanical extension of piezoelectric element (piezoelement). At first we searched for the best shape of wind flap that is selected in accordance with analyses results. Few of best shapes were experimentally tested to verify analyses. Next step was design of electronics that accumulates enough of electric energy to power light signalling device (in our case LED) for a short time.