Performance Analysis of Vortex Induced Vibration Based Wind Energy Harvesting System

Abstract

The growth of energy harvesting devices based on fluid interactions is part of the global research for new tools to generate renewable energy. In this treatise, the possibility to harvest energy from a wind flow using vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) of the cylinder is analyzed. This work aims to develop a compact device that is able to harvest wind energy and transform it into electrical energy using the concept of vortex shedding. The VIV wind harvesting device features a hollow PVC cylinder of 50 cm length and 12 cm diameter of mass 0.681 kg as the airfoil. A cylinder was chosen as the airfoil because of its ability to harness an equal amount of lift force in both the positive and negative directions along the vertical axis. There are two piezoelectric crystal attached at each end of the spring so that the vibration made by the cylinder stresses the piezoelectric ceramic plate. The output of electrical power is then obtained from the piezoelectric plate.