Energy scavenging strain absorber: application to kinetic dielectric elastomer generator

C. Jean-Mistral; M. Beaune; T. Vu-Cong; A. Sylvestre

doi:10.1117/12.2044690

8 March 2014 Energy scavenging strain absorber: application to kinetic dielectric elastomer generator

C. Jean-Mistral, M. Beaune, T. Vu-Cong, A. Sylvestre

Proceedings Volume 9056, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2014; 90561H (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044690
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Dielectric elastomer generators (DEGs) are light, compliant, silent energy scavengers. They can easily be incorporated into clothing where they could scavenge energy from the human kinetic movements for biomedical applications. Nevertheless, scavengers based on dielectric elastomers are soft electrostatic generators requiring a high voltage source to polarize them and high external strain, which constitutes the two major disadvantages of these transducers. We propose here a complete structure made up of a strain absorber, a DEG and a simple electronic power circuit. This new structure looks like a patch, can be attached on human’s wear and located on the chest, knee, elbow… Our original strain absorber, inspired from a sailing boat winch, is able to heighten the external available strain with a minimal factor of 2. The DEG is made of silicone Danfoss Polypower and it has a total area of 6cm per 2.5cm sustaining a maximal strain of 50% at 1Hz. A complete electromechanical analytical model was developed for the DEG associated to this strain absorber. With a poling voltage of 800V, a scavenged energy of 0.57mJ per cycle is achieved with our complete structure. The performance of the DEG can further be improved by enhancing the imposed strain, by designing a stack structure, by using a dielectric elastomer with high dielectric permittivity.

Citation Download Citation

C. Jean-Mistral, M. Beaune, T. Vu-Cong, and A. Sylvestre "Energy scavenging strain absorber: application to kinetic dielectric elastomer generator", Proc. SPIE 9056, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2014, 90561H (8 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044690

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available