An optimal design of a mono-stable vertical diamagnetic levitation based electromagnetic vibration energy harvester

A detailed analysis of a mono-stable vertical diamagnetic levitation (VDL) system for optimal vibration energy harvesting is presented. Initial studies showed that simple analytical techniques such as the dipole model and the image method provide useful guideline for understanding the potential of a diamagnetic levitation system, however, it is discussed here that the more accurate semi-analytical techniques such as the thin coil model and the discrete volume method are needed for quantitative optimization and design of the VDL system. With the semi-analytical techniques, the influence of the cylindrical geometry of the floating magnet, the lifting magnet and the diamagnetic plate are parametrically studied to assess their effects on the levitation gap, size of the system and the natural frequency.For efficient vibration energy harvesting using the VDL system, ways to mitigate eddy current damping and a coil geometry for transduction are critically discussed. With the optimized parameters, an experimental system is realized which showed a hardening type nonlinearity. The results show an overall efficiency of 1.54 percent, a root mean square (rms) power output of 1.72 µW when excited at a peak acceleration of 0.081 m/s2 and at a frequency of 2.1 Hz.