Power and efficiency analysis of a flapping wing wind energy harvester

Matthew Bryant, Michael W. Shafer, Ephrahim Garcia

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Energy harvesting from flowing fluids using flapping wings and fluttering aeroelastic structures has recently gained significant research attention as a possible alternative to traditional rotary turbines, especially at and below the centimeter scale. One promising approach uses an aeroelastic flutter instability to drive limit cycle oscillations of a flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting structure. Such a system is well suited to miniaturization and could be used to create self-powered wireless sensors wherever ambient flows are available. In this paper, we examine modeling of the aerodynamic forces, power extraction, and efficiency of such a flapping wing energy harvester at a low Reynolds number on the order of 1000. Two modeling approaches are considered, a quasi-steady method generalized from existing models of insect flight and a modified model that includes terms to account to the effects of dynamic stall. The modified model is shown to provide better agreement with CFD simulations of a flapping energy harvester.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2012
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2012 - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: Mar 12 2012Mar 15 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8341
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceActive and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period3/12/123/15/12

Keywords

  • Aerodynamics
  • Dynamic stall
  • Energy harvesting
  • Flapping
  • Flutter
  • Quasi-steady
  • Unsteady
  • Wind power

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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