Eelectric
Energy Harvesting
Through Piezoelectric Polymers
Initial Prototype Presentation
Don Jenket, II
Kathy Li
Peter Stone
Presentation Overview
Design Schematics
Materials & Processing Justification
Circuitry
 Tail
 Wire/Electrodes

Initial Prototype Unveiling
Improvements for Final Design
Revised Timeline
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Design Schematic
Fan
Rectifier
Electronics Housing
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Circuitry Schematic
Diodes
LED
AC
Capacitors
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Materials & Processing
Justifications
Circuitry – Germanium diodes

Require less voltage to bias (0.2V)
Fewest diodes used as possible
Fewer voltage drops
 Less power consumed by the circuit

Storage Device

Capacitors used to store energy
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
“Eel Tail” Schematic
12 cm
Tail End
Head End
Top View
2 cm
Cu Wire
Titanium
Electrode
Cu Wire
Silver paste
Titanium Electrodes
12 cm
2 cm
Side View
April 13, 2004
0.04 mm
Front View
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Materials & Processing
Justifications
Tail, Material – PVDF
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Materials & Processing
Justifications
Tail, Aspect Ratio – 2 cm x 12 cm
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Materials & Processing
Justifications
Electrodes – Titanium & Silver Paste

Gold desired in place of Titanium


Easier processing
Better properties in air
Wires – 5 mil insulated magnet wire



Flexible
Coiled, Wound, Twisted – noise reduction
Can come in contact with other conductors (i.e.
flagpole)
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Oscilloscope Data
2cm x 12cm Piezoelectric PVDF in Wind
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Circuitry Schematic
Diodes
LED
AC
Capacitors
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Current Progress
Working piezoelectric AC Source

AC Voltage ~700 mV peak-to-peak
Working rectifying circuit

Takes >2000 mV AC peak-to-peak to light
an LED
What needs to be done?

Increase Voltage Output from PVDF Tail


Connecting multiple tails in series
Integrate the two working components
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Improvements on
Final Design
Layering

Two layers
Increases possible output
 Decreases flexibility
 Difficult to adhere together

Adhesive reinforcement
Silver Paste alone cannot hold layers together
or wires down
 Kapton and Mylar Tape


2-5 mil thickness should not drastically alter flexibility
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Improvements on
Final Design
Electrode & Wiring Modifications
12 cm
Silver Electrode
Cu Wire
PVDF
2 cm
Gold Electrode
 Allows
for bending freedom
 Strain relief of wire
 Run wire straight to flagpole
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
Revised Timeline
2/10
2/17
2/24
3/2
3/9
3/16
3/23
4/6
4/13
4/20
4/27
5/4
Electroded piezoelectronic sample
Obtain PVDF
Investigate electrode technology
Attach electrodes to PVDF
Preliminary measurements
Build Prototype
Electronic Circuitry
Test Prototype
Air testing
Output measurement
Optimizing Prototype
Incorporating future revisions
Build prototype II
Test protoype II
Prepare Demo
Final Presentation
April 13, 2004
Eelectric
Initial Prototype
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