A cross-coupled dual-beam for multi-directional energy harvesting from vortex induced vibrations

This study proposes a cross-coupled dual-beam structure for energy harvesting from vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) induced by wind flows in different directions. A series of wind tunnel tests are conducted to investigate the performance of the proposed energy harvester subjected to the wind load with various speeds and directions. The upper and bottom piezoelectric beams can generate a maximum power output of 6.77 μW and 56.64 μW, respectively. The dominant operation frequencies in different directions are different which indicates a potential broadband capability. A parametric study is performed to reveal the effect of the dimension of the bluff body on the performance of the proposed energy harvester. (letter)