Cantilevered flexible plates in axial flow: Energy transfer and the concept of flutter-mill

Cantilevered flexible plates in axial flow lose stability at sufficiently high flow velocity. Once the instability threshold is exceeded, flutter takes place, and energy is continuously pumped into the plate from the surrounding fluid flow, sustaining the flutter motion. This kind of self-induced, self-sustained vibration can be utilized to extract energy from the fluid flow. This paper studies the energy transfer between the fluid flow and the plate. Then, based on the energy analysis of the fluid-structure interaction system, a new concept of energy-harvesting, the flutter-mill, is proposed in which these flutter motions are utilized to generate electrical power. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.