Page 18 - ASME SMASIS 2015 Program
P. 18
Symposia
energy in artiicial processes is heat, vibration and radiation, scattering as
well low losses. More than 80% of all energy harvesting publications deal
with the conversion of vibration into electrical energy by the piezoelectric
efect. Note, this kind of energy harvesting is only useful when no
external electrical supply and no rotational movements are present.
Despite of the use of the high performance ceramic PZT (“Lead-Zir-
conate-Titanate”), the power density of piezoelectric transducers is only
in the range of µWs /cm3. This low value is the reason to for the search
better structural and/or electrical solutions. Numerous designs and
circuits developed show a minimal rise of efectiveness but an increase in
complexity and fabrication costs. Even with the necessary repeated main-
tenance, batteries are much cheaper than these harvesters are. This fact
and the low power density make EHs and the research doubtful.
Rethinking is imperative. This paper describes the search for criteria that
allow assessing systems and processes in terms of their energy harvest-
ing-capability. Two examples show ways in which energy harvesting can
be sensibly and economically justiiable used.
Biography
Norbert Schwesinger was born in 1952. He received his Diploma in
electrical engineering at the Technical University of Ilmenau in 1977. In
1983 he received the Dr.-Ing. at the same university. From 1983 to 1992 he
was working for two diferent companies as project manager. He headed a
MEMS-research-group from 1992-2000 at the TU Ilmenau. End of 2000 he
joined the Technische Universitaet Muenchen as Professor for Microstruc-
tured Mechatronical Systems. His current interests are focused on the use
of piezoelectric efects in microluidic components, microstructured
sensors and actuators as well as power generating devices.
18
energy in artiicial processes is heat, vibration and radiation, scattering as
well low losses. More than 80% of all energy harvesting publications deal
with the conversion of vibration into electrical energy by the piezoelectric
efect. Note, this kind of energy harvesting is only useful when no
external electrical supply and no rotational movements are present.
Despite of the use of the high performance ceramic PZT (“Lead-Zir-
conate-Titanate”), the power density of piezoelectric transducers is only
in the range of µWs /cm3. This low value is the reason to for the search
better structural and/or electrical solutions. Numerous designs and
circuits developed show a minimal rise of efectiveness but an increase in
complexity and fabrication costs. Even with the necessary repeated main-
tenance, batteries are much cheaper than these harvesters are. This fact
and the low power density make EHs and the research doubtful.
Rethinking is imperative. This paper describes the search for criteria that
allow assessing systems and processes in terms of their energy harvest-
ing-capability. Two examples show ways in which energy harvesting can
be sensibly and economically justiiable used.
Biography
Norbert Schwesinger was born in 1952. He received his Diploma in
electrical engineering at the Technical University of Ilmenau in 1977. In
1983 he received the Dr.-Ing. at the same university. From 1983 to 1992 he
was working for two diferent companies as project manager. He headed a
MEMS-research-group from 1992-2000 at the TU Ilmenau. End of 2000 he
joined the Technische Universitaet Muenchen as Professor for Microstruc-
tured Mechatronical Systems. His current interests are focused on the use
of piezoelectric efects in microluidic components, microstructured
sensors and actuators as well as power generating devices.
18
