Energy Harvesting by Bio-Inspired Inverted C- Cylinders

Abstract

In a uniform flow, the interaction of piezoelectric flag with bio inspired C shaped bluff bodies was examined. Based on vortex-induced vibration, the piezoelectric eel converts the kinetic energy of flowing water into electrical energy. The flapping behavior of a piezoelectric flag in the wake of a bluff body was studied in terms of stream wise gap between piezoelectric flag and bluff body. The experiments were carried out by placing a conventional piezoelectric flag in the wake of a bluff body in a low-speed water tunnel and varying the stream wise gap (Gx) behind a bio inspired inverted C shaped cylinder to see how the vortices produced by the bluff body affected the flapping amplitude, frequency, and voltage generated by the piezoelectric flags. The effect of different bluff bodies and varying streamwise gap on energy harvesting was observed and optimal results were obtained.