Simulation and Experimental Study of a Piezoelectric Stack Energy Harvester for Railway Track Vibrations

As one of the most important modes of transportation, the safety of running trains and railway tracks is significant. It is essential to power sensors that detect and track health in remote areas. The vibration energy of the track structure is enormous, stable, and not limited by weather factors such as the sun and wind. A new type of arch beam piezoelectric stack energy harvester for railway systems is studied in this paper. Through simulation analyses and experimental verification of the energy harvester, the influences of external resistance, load, pre-stress, and load frequency on the energy harvesting performance of the piezoelectric energy harvester are discussed. When the frequency is less than 6 Hz, the energy capture efficiency is greatly affected by the frequency. When the frequency exceeds 6 Hz, the frequency has little effect and the load dramatically affects the energy capture efficiency. The pre-stress has little effect on the energy capture efficiency, but there is an optimal value at 4.5 kN. The energy harvester has an output power of 193 mW, a weight of 912 g, and the energy density can reach 211.8 mu W/g. These results can provide a reference for subsequent experiments in the actual environment.

Automated summary

As one of the most important modes of transportation, ensuring the safety of trains and railway tracks is crucial. This study focuses on a new type of arch beam piezoelectric stack energy harvester for railway systems. The research discusses the impact of external resistance, load, pre-stress, and load frequency on the energy harvesting performance through simulation analysis and experimental verification. The results provide valuable reference for subsequent experiments in real-world environments.