Design and experimental characterization of a tunable vibration-based electromagnetic micro-generator

Vibration-based micro-generators, as an alternative source of energy, have become increasingly significant in the last decade. This paper presents a new tunable electromagnetic vibration-based micro-generator. Frequency tuning is realized by applying an axial tensile force to the micro-generator. The dimensions of the generator, especially the dimensions of the coil and the air gap between magnets, have been optimized to maximize the output voltage and power of the micro-generator. The resonant frequency has been successfully tuned from 67.6 to 98 Hz when various axial tensile forces were applied to the structure. The generator produced a power of 61.6-156.6 mu W over the tuning range when excited at vibrations of 0.59 m s(-2). The tuning mechanism has little effect on the total damping. When the tuning force applied on the generator becomes larger than the generator's inertial force, the total damping increases resulting in reduced output power. The resonant frequency increases less than indicated from simulation and approaches that of a straight tensioned cable when the force associated with the tension in the beam becomes much greater than the beam stiffness. The test results agree with the theoretical analysis presented. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.