Analytical solution of piezoelectric energy harvester patch for various thin multilayer composite beams

The study of piezoelectric cantilever beam as vibration based energy harvesting has been emerged over the past two decade. This paper presents distributed parameter electroelastic modeling of various multilayer composite beams with piezoelectric energy harvesters. This analytical model of beam with piezoceramic patch is developed base on classical laminate theory for the clamped-free boundary condition. For piezoceramic patch, two thin PZT-5A are symmetrically bonded on composite beams. The closed-form steady state response for coupled electrical output and structural vibration are obtained under harmonic time base excitation. The base motion vibration is applied in the form of translation in a transverse direction. The electrical output and vibration response are derived and generalized base on analytical electroelastic frequency response functions (FRFs) relating to base excitation for different layout composite laminate. Experiments are conducted to verify the first two natural frequencies for all specimens without active element layers. According to effect of damping coefficient on analytical electroelastic modeling, the parameter of damping ratio is given by experimental test. Finally, the effect of various composite laminated layout with piezoelectric patch harvester on power generated are discussed in details as well.