Simulation of piezoelectric raindrop energy harvester

This paper presents simulations of a vibration based piezoelectric raindrop energy harvester to investigate design parameters that directly affect the performance of the device. Combination of diaphragm and cantilevers is considered for the study and the device is simulated using CoventorWare of multi physics finite element analysis. Polyvinylidene fluoride is used as piezoelectric material due to non-toxic characteristic and easiness to shape into sturdy panels, whereas Aluminium as the electrode. The effects of design parameter such as thickness of piezoelectric material, displacement during vibration and maximum pressure applied on the performance of the device are analysed. Results show that the thickness of these materials played a significant role in displacement and output power.