A preliminary study on piezo-aeroelastic energy harvesting using a nonlinear trailing-edge flap

Abstract

Recently, piezo-aeroelastic energy harvesting has received greater attention. In the present study, a piezo-aeroelastic energy harvester using a nonlinear trailing-edge flap is proposed, and its nonlinear aeroelastic behaviors are investigated. The energy harvester is modeled using a piezo-aeroelastic model of a two-dimensional typical section airfoil with a trailing-edge flap (TEF). A piezo-aeroelastic analysis is carried out using RL and time-integration methods, and the results are verified with the experimental data. The linearizing method using a describing function is used for the frequency domain analysis of the nonlinear piezo-aeroelastic system. From the linear and nonlinear piezo-aeroelastic analysis, the limit cycle oscillation (LCO) characteristics of the proposed energy harvester with the nonlinear TEF are investigated in both the frequency and time domains. Finally, the authors discuss the air speed range for effective piezo-aeroelastic energy harvesting.