Description:
Reference #: 01488
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for High Voltage energy harvesting and sensing with 3D Spiral Design
Background:
Due to the limited availability and high depletion rates of nonrenewable energy sources as well as environmental concerns, the scientific community is urged to explore and harness alternative, clean energy sources. One most frequently considered alternative clean source of energy is the acoustic energy, for example ambient vibrations, industrial noises, daily mechanical actions like, walking, running, talking, or any other kinetic human motion. A harvester that can absorb acoustic energy from such sources must produce high current output to charge an external battery for reuse. Energy harvesting from metamaterial structure can produce energy from ambient vibration with much optimized power output. However, time requires to charge an external battery using an energy harvester depends on the voltage output and the current flow to the battery. Time required to charge a battery is inversely proportional to the current flow. Higher the voltage output, less the time it takes to charge a battery.
Invention Description:
The proposed invention given about 3 times higher voltage and current output compared to the state-of-the-art current technology for a fixed load battery. Hence, in order to achieve higher voltage and higher current output, a novel model harvester, we call Shear Force enhanced Spiral Spring Membrane harvester is proposed.
Potential Applications:
Due to the limited availability and high depletion rates of nonrenewable energy sources as well as environmental concerns, the scientific community is urged to explore and harness alternative, clean energy sources. Recent advancements in low power electronics devices, micro electromechanical systems, wireless sensors have significantly increased the power demand in our present digital economy. The increased use of cell phones, iPods, tablets, iPads throughout the world resulted surprisingly large energy footprint and according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), household energy demand has increased by 3.4% since 1990. It is calculated that in US, only the usage of smart phones demands 1269000 Million Watt-hour of energy per year.
Advantages and Benefits:
This innovation will increase efficiency of the energy harvesting technologies that is currently not possible. Conventional energy harvesters employing piezoelectricity are the Cantilever beam type or plate harvesters. They are primarily designed for MEMS devices. They harvest energy from high frequencies. Harvesting energy in recognizable amount from low frequencies and pressure, is difficult. This invention creates such opportunity for the near future.