Massive deployment of wireless IoT (Internet of Things) devices makes replacement or recharge of batteries expensive and impractical for some applications. Energy harvesting is a promising solution, and various designs are proposed to harvest power from ambient resources including thermal, vibrational, solar, wind, and RF sources. Among these ambient resources, AC powerlines are a stable energy source in an urban environment. Many researchers investigated methods to exploit this stable source of energy to power wireless IoT devices. The proposed circuit aims to harvest energy from AC powerlines with a wide input range of from 10 to 50 A. The proposed system includes a wake-up circuit and is capable of cold-start. A buck-boost converter operating in DCM is adopted for impedance matching, where the impedance is rather independent of the operation conditions. So, the proposed system can be applied to various types of wireless sensor nodes with different internal impedances. Experimental results show that the proposed system achieves an efficiency of 80.99% under the powerline current of 50 A. / M.S. / Nowadays, with the magnificent growth of IoT devices, a reliable, and efficient energy supply system becomes more and more important, because, for some applications, battery replacement is very expensive and sometimes even impossible. At this time, a well-designed self-contained energy harvesting system is a good solution. The energy harvesting system can extend the service life of the IoT devices and reduce the frequency of charging or checking the device. In this work, the proposed circuit aims to harvest energy from the AC power lines, and the harvested power intends to power wireless sensor nodes (WSNs). By utilizing the efficient and self-contained EH system, WSNs can be used to monitor the temperature, pressure, noise level and humidity etc. The proposed energy harvesting circuit was implemented with discrete components on a printed circuit board (PCB). Under a power line current of 50 A @ 50 Hz, the proposed energy harvesting circuit can harvest 156.6 mW, with a peak efficiency of 80.99 %.

Implantable biomedical wireless sensors provide monitoring of vital health signs such as oxygen, temperature and intraocular pressure and may help to analyse and detect diseases in humans and animals. However, one of the design challenges of implantable devices is providing a safe and reliable energy source. Replaceable batteries are one of the most common methods for powering up implantable devices and have been used in e.g.cardiac pacemakers for decades. However, the need for a regular battery replacement may require surgical incisions. Multiple studies have been done on energy harvesting from ambient energy sources to provide the required power for the operation of the implantable sensor and thus reducing the need for battery replacement. In this work, a circuit-level radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting system has been designed and simulated in 65 nm CMOS process technology. The system consists of an AC-DC converter, a DC-DC converter, a Ring oscillator, a Buffer, and a Voltage sensor with comparators, dividers and a reference generator. The rectifier operates at a frequency of 900 MHz and offers a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 71%. The doubler works at 50 MHz with a voltage conversion efficiency (VCE) of 98%. Additionally, the Voltage sensor monitors the voltage level of the energy-storing unit, that in this project is intended to be an mm-size rechargeable battery. If the voltage level is equal to or higher than a threshold value, Vref, the harvesting system will be in discharging mode. Similarly, if the voltage level is below Vref, then the system will be in charging mode.

Energy harvesting can be used to consume the potential power of the surrounding environment. This harvesting can be done in different ways, some common energy harvesting modalities are vibrations, heat differences, solar power, and RF energy. In this Master Thesis, these different methods for harvesting energy are studied and the one that is the most suitable for an environment inside an embankment dam is further explored. If some energy harvesting modalities can operate well in that environment then it might be possible to monitor the embankment dam from the inside. The hope is to create an energy harvesting platform equipped with some suitable sensors which can be placed inside an embankment dam and collect data for a longer duration of time. Considering how an embankment dam is structured, it was concluded that the best possible energy harvesting method is wireless ultra-high frequency radio signals. An RF energy harvesting platform was created and tested, both in a laboratory and buried underground, mimicking the environment inside an embankment dam. These tests were measured and the results showed some promise that it is possible to use this energy harvesting method to power a sensor platform underground.

Smart devices capable of harvesting their own energy have advantages over their wired or battery-powered alternatives including improved portability, simplified installation, and reduced maintenance and operating costs. This thesis studies energy harvesting technology through a case study of a solar-powered motorized window shade. An analytical and experimental evaluation of window attenuation found that windows reduced the ability of solar cells to produce photocurrent by 30%-70%. This still allows significant potential to power small electronics so a prototype motorized window blind was designed and assembled. The solar array was mounted to the roller blind's bottom rail and power is conveyed to the control electronics and motor in the unit’s top cylinder through wires embedded in the shade’s fabric. A simple battery system was implemented to ensure the prototype could remain powered in the absence of light. Various forms of powerflow in the prototype were evaluated. Experimental evaluation of joule heating within the conductive textile indicates that a temperature gradient that is less than 10 °C develops, meaning it is safe for use. The prototype was designed with artificial friction to prevent the blinds from slipping when not in use. An experimentally validated motor model was developed and used to determine that the system could use up to 46% less energy if the artificial friction was removed. A pseudo-empirical system model was developed to simulate the interaction between system electronics. Simulation results indicate that the system would remain consistently powered if placed behind a south-facing window that receives a consistent supply of direct sunlight and attenuates that light by less than 75%. These results also indicate that the unit would remain powered in the absence of light for 13 days. Similar methods could be used to evaluate future energy harvesting systems. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Vibration converters based on piezoelectric materials are currently becoming increasingly important for powering low-power wireless sensor nodes and wearable electronic devices. Piezoelectric materials generate variable electrical charges under mechanical stress, requiring an energy management interface to meet load requirements. Resonant interfaces like Parallel Synchronized Switch Harvesting on Inductor (P-SSHI) are highly efficient and robust to energy sources and loads variations. Nevertheless, SSHI circuits require synchronous switch control for efficient energy transfer. At irregular excitation, SSHI circuits may not perform optimally because the resonant frequency of the circuit is typically tuned to match the frequency of the energy source, which in the case of footsteps can be irregular and unpredictable. In addition, the circuit may also be susceptible to noise and interference from irregular excitations, which can further affect its performance. The aim is to design a self-powered energy management solution that can operate autonomously even at low frequencies and for irregular chock excitations, while at the same time allowing higher energy flow to the energy storage device and maintaining high levels of energy efficiency. To evaluate the performance of the proposed circuit, a piezoelectric shoe insole is designed and used for testing with different storage capacitance values and loads as a proof of the circuit’s adaptability to various loading conditions.:1 Introduction 2 Theoretical background 3 State of the art of piezoelectric energy harvesting interfaces 4 Novel approach of SP-PSSHI piezoelectric energy harvesting interface 5 Experimental investigations 6 Conclusions and Outlook

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[pt] Nos últimos anos, tem-se observado um interesse crescente em estruturas multiestáveis. Sistemas com múltiplas configurações de equilíbrio estável geralmente são obtidos através de uma cadeia de unidades biestáveis conectadas por elementos rígidos ou flexíveis. Entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre seu comportamento estático e dinâmico não linear. Neste trabalho realiza-se uma análise não linear estática e dinâmica detalhada de sistemas multiestáveis formados por duas unidades biestáveis abatidas, especificamente, duas treliças de von Mises ou dois arcos, conectados em ambos os casos por elementos rígidos ou flexíveis. Para isto, as equações não lineares de equilíbrio e de movimento são obtidas através do princípio da energia potencial estacionária e do princípio de Hamilton, respectivamente, considerando um material elástico linear. Utilizando algoritmos de continuação, os caminhos de equilíbrio são obtidos e a estabilidade analisada utilizando o princípio da energia potencial mínima. Múltiplos caminhos de equilíbrio são identificados, levando a múltiplas soluções coexistentes, estáveis e instáveis, e vales potenciais intimamente ligados às simetrias dos sistemas. O efeito das inevitáveis imperfeições iniciais é também esclarecido. As oscilações não lineares e as bifurcações dos sistemas sob carregamento harmônico são estudadas através de diagramas de bifurcação, mapas de Poincaré e bacias de atração. Estuda-se também o efeito do pré-carregamento estático na dinâmica global. Observam-se, em virtude de sequências de bifurcações emergindo de cada posição de equilíbrio estável, um elevado número de soluções coexistentes, periódicas e aperiódicas, levando a bacias de atração complexas e com amplas regiões fractais. Por um lado, estes cenários podem ser valiosos em diversas aplicações. Por outro, múltiplos atratores e suas bacias fractais podem levar à perda da estabilidade e integridade dinâmica. Desta forma, o conhecimento do comportamento estático e dinâmico não linear de sistemas multiestáveis é imprescindível em qualquer aplicação em engenharia. Como exemplo de aplicação, se utiliza um sistema formado por treliças de von Mises no processo de coleta de energia através de elementos piezoelétricos. O comportamento altamente não linear resulta em movimentos de grande amplitude para largas faixas de excitação, aumentando sua eficiência e aplicabilidade. / [en] In the last years, an increasing interest in multistable structures has been observed. Multistable systems are generally attained by a chain of bistable units connected by rigid or flexible elements. However, little is known about their nonlinear static and dynamic responses. In this work, a detailed nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of multistable systems formed by two shallow bistable units is conducted, specifically, two von Mises trusses or two arches, connected in both cases by rigid or flexible elements. For this, the nonlinear equilibrium equations and equations of motion are obtained through the principle of stationary potential energy and Hamilton s principle, respectively, considering a linear elastic material. Using continuation algorithms, the nonlinear equilibrium paths are obtained, and stability analyzed using the principle of minimum potential energy. Multiple equilibrium paths are identified, leading to several stable and unstable coexisting solutions and potential wells with are closely linked to the systems symmetries. The effect of unavoidable initial imperfections is also clarified. The nonlinear dynamics and bifurcations of systems under harmonic forcing are studied using bifurcation diagrams, Poincaré maps and cross-sections of the basins of attraction. The effect of a static pre-load on global dynamics is also studied. Due to the bifurcation sequences emerging from each stable equilibrium configuration, a high number of coexisting solutions are observed, both periodic and aperiodic, leading to complex basins of attraction with broadening fractal regions. On the one hand, these scenarios can be valuable in several applications. On the other hand, multiple attractors and their fractal basins can lead to the loss of stability and dynamic integrity. Therefore, knowledge on the nonlinear static and dynamic behavior of multistable systems is primordial in any engineering application. As an application example, a system composed by two von Mises trusses is used in the process of energy harvesting through piezoelectric elements. The highly nonlinear behavior results in large amplitude oscillations for a wide range of excitation frequency, increasing its efficiency and applicability.

We model different nonlinear systems, analyze their nonlinear aspects and discuss their applications. First, we present a semi-analytical, geometrically-exact, unsteady potential flow model is developed for airfoils undergoing large amplitude maneuvers. Towards this objective, the classical unsteady theory of Theodorsen is revisited by relaxing some of the major assumptions such as (1) flat wake, (2) small angle of attack, (3) small disturbances to the mean flow components, and (4) time-invariant free-stream. The kinematics of the wake vortices is simulated numerically while the wake and bound circulation distribution and, consequently, the associated pressure distribution are determined analytically. The steady and unsteady behaviors of the developed model are validated against experimental and computational results. The model is then used to determine the lift frequency response at different mean angles of attack. Second, we investigate the nonlinear characteristics of an autoparametric vibration system. This system consists of a base structure and a cantilever beam with a tip mass. The dynamic equations for the system are derived using the extended Hamilton's principle. The method of multiple scales is then used to analytically determine the stability and bifurcation of the system. The effects of the amplitude and frequency of the external force, the damping coefficient and frequency of the attached cantilever beam and the tip mass on the nonlinear responses of the system are determined. As an application, the concept of energy harvesting based on the autoparametric vibration system consisting of a base structure subjected to the external force and a cantilever beam with a tip mass is evaluated. Piezoelectric sheets are attached to the cantilever beam to convert the vibrations of the base structure into electrical energy. The coupled nonlinear distributed-parameter model is developed and analyzed. The effects of the electrical load resistance on the global frequency and damping ratio of the cantilever beam are analyzed by linearizion of the governing equations and perturbation method. Nonlinear analysis is performed to investigate the impacts of external force and load resistance on the response of the harvester. Finally, the concept of harvesting energy from ambient and galloping vibrations of a bluff body is investigated. A piezoelectric transducer is attached to the transverse degree of freedom of the body in order to convert the vibration energy to electrical power. A coupled nonlinear distributed-parameter model is developed that takes into consideration the galloping force and moment nonlinearities and the base excitation effects. The aerodynamic loads are modeled using the quasi-steady approximation. Linear analysis is performed to determine the effects of the electrical load resistance and wind speed on the global damping and frequency of the harvester as well as on the onset of instability. Then, nonlinear analysis is performed to investigate the impact of the base acceleration, wind speed, and electrical load resistance on the performance of the harvester and the associated nonlinear phenomena. Short- and open-circuit configurations for different wind speeds and base accelerations are assessed. / Ph. D.