Design of a Piezoelectric Wind Energy Harvester for Bacterial Disinfection of Drinking Water

Abstract: In this thesis, a piezoelectric wind energy harvester is proposed for bacterial disinfection of drinking water. A mathematical model of a piezoelectric wind energy harvester is developed to predict the electrical energy from the wind induced vibration based on the galloping phenomenon. Structure of a piezoelectric wind energy harvester is a cantilever piezolaminated elastic beam with a bluff body attached to the free end. Linear time invariant and lumped parameter approach is considered to model the structure. In order to improve the performance of the harvester, bluff body is modified by attaching different attachment in the form of circular-shaped, triangular-shaped, square-shaped, Y-shaped, and curve-shaped. Bacterial disinfection of drinking water is performed using the electrical output of the piezoelectric wind energy harvester. Energy harvester with a curve-shaped attachment to a bluff body is used for this application because it provides enhanced electrical output as compared to other shaped harvesters. It has been found both numerically and experimentally that the harvester with a curve-shaped attachment to the bluff body provides the best electrical output.