Application of the Villari effect to electric power harvesting

Transducers utilizing the Villari effect (inverse-magnetostrictive effect) consist of a coil wound on a core of magnetostrictive material. In this paper, a linear magnetomechanical coupling model is developed to analytically calculate the potential electrical power such transducers can generate when subjected to applied harmonic mechanical vibration. Two vibration modes, force driven and displacement driven, are distinguished. The eddy current effect in the magnetostrictive core material and the leakage inductance of the coil are taken into account. Comparisons of output electrical power are presented for Terfenol-D and Galfenol magnetostrictive cores. (C) 2006 American Institute of Physics.