Flow energy piezoelectric bimorph nozzle harvester
US9531303B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 2014 |
| Grant date | Dec 27, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 10, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N30/306
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A flow energy harvesting device having a harvester pipe includes a flow inlet that receives flow from a primary pipe, a flow outlet that returns the flow into the primary pipe, and a flow diverter within the harvester pipe having an inlet section coupled to the flow inlet, a flow constriction section coupled to the inlet section and positioned at a midpoint of the harvester pipe and having a spline shape with a substantially reduced flow opening size at a constriction point along the spline shape, and an outlet section coupled to the constriction section. The harvester pipe may further include a piezoelectric structure extending from the inlet section through the constriction section and point such that the fluid flow past the constriction point results in oscillatory pressure amplitude inducing vibrations in the piezoelectric structure sufficient to cause a direct piezoelectric effect and to generate electrical power for harvesting.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.