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MEMS Electrostatic Energy Harvesters with Nonlinear Springs

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Advances in Energy Harvesting Methods

Abstract

Design of nonlinear proof mass suspensions is one among several possible strategies that can be adopted to enlarge the operating frequency range of energy harvesters. Emphasizing continuous mode operation, this chapter gives a brief overview of the working principles of electrostatic energy harvesters. We argue that nonlinear springs are particularly well suited to make nonlinear suspensions for MEMS electrostatic energy harvesters. We then discuss from a theoretical point of view how nonlinear springs will modify the vibration spectrum of the devices and what can be expected from them in terms of performance. Different nonlinear spring designs are presented together with recent experimental results on characterization of micromachined devices. With frequency sweeps or white-noise vibration, nonlinear devices have shown dramatic increases in bandwidth compared to their linear counterparts. Experiments with band-limited noise show that the use of nonlinear springs is a viable method to increase the harvester tolerance towards variations in vibration bandwidth and center frequency.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway under grant no. 191282.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Micro and Nano Systems Technology, Faculty of Technology and Maritime Sciences, Vestfold University College, 2243, NO-3103, Tønsberg, Norway

    Einar Halvorsen & Son Duy Nguyen

Authors
  1. Einar Halvorsen
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  2. Son Duy Nguyen
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Correspondence to Einar Halvorsen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Steinman Hall T-228, The City College of New York, Street at Convent Avenue 140, New York, 10031, New York, USA

    Niell Elvin

  2. , G. W. Woodruff School of, Georgia Institute of Technology, J. Erskine Love Jr. Manufacturing Building 126, Atlanta, 30332, Georgia, USA

    Alper Erturk

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Halvorsen, E., Nguyen, S.D. (2013). MEMS Electrostatic Energy Harvesters with Nonlinear Springs. In: Elvin, N., Erturk, A. (eds) Advances in Energy Harvesting Methods. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5705-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5705-3_3

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