From: Nanyang Technological University
October 6, 2022 -- Scientists
from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed
a low-cost device that can harness energy from wind as gentle as a light breeze
and store it as electricity.
When exposed to winds
with a velocity as low as two metres per second (m/s), the device can produce a
voltage of three volts and generate electricity power of up to 290 microwatts,
which is sufficient to power a commercial sensor device and for it to also send
the data to a mobile phone or a computer.
The light and durable
device, called a wind harvester, also diverts any electricity that is not in
use to a battery, where it can be stored to power devices in the absence of
wind.
The scientists say
their invention has the potential to replace batteries in powering light
emitting diode (LED) lights and structural health monitoring sensors. Those are
used on urban structures, such as bridges and skyscrapers, to monitor their
structural health, alerting engineers to issues such as instabilities or
physical damage.
Measuring only 15
centimetres by 20 centimetres, the device can easily be mounted on the sides of
buildings, and would be ideal for urban environments, such as Singaporean suburbs,
where average wind speeds are less than 2.5 m/s, outside of thunderstorms[1].
The findings were
published in the scientific peer-reviewed journal Mechanical Systems
and Signal Processing in September.
Professor Yang Yaowen,
a structural engineer from NTU's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(CEE), who led the project, said: "As a renewable and clean energy source,
wind power generation has attracted extensive research attention. Our research
aims to tackle the lack of a small-scale energy harvester for more targeted
functions, such as to power smaller sensors and electronic devices. The device
we developed also serves as a potential alternative to smaller lithium-ion
batteries, as our wind harvester is self-sufficient and would only require
occasional maintenance, and does not use heavy metals, which if not disposed of
properly, could cause environmental problems."
The innovation has
received interest from the industry. The NTU research team is also working
towards commercialising their invention.
The study, which
presents an innovation that could help cut down on electronic waste and find
alternative sources for energy, reflects NTU's commitment to mitigate our
impact on the environment, which is one of four humanity's grand challenges
that the University seeks to address through its NTU 2025 strategic plan.
Riding the wind
The device was
developed to harness efficient wind energy at low cost and with low wear and
tear. Its body is made of fibre epoxy, a highly durable polymer, with the main
attachment that interacts with the wind and is made of inexpensive materials,
such as copper, aluminium foil, and polytetrafluoroethylene, a durable polymer
that is also known as Teflon.
Due to the dynamic
design of its structure, when the harvester is exposed to wind flow, it begins
to vibrate, causing its plate to approach to and depart from the stopper. This
causes charges to be formed on the film, and an electrical current is formed as
they flow from the aluminium foil to the copper film.
In laboratory tests,
the NTU-developed harvester could power 40 LEDs consistently at a wind speed of
4 m/s. It could also trigger a sensor device, and power it sufficiently to send
the room temperature information to a mobile phone wirelessly.
This demonstrated that
the harvester could not only generate electricity to consistently power a
device, but that it could store excess charge that was sufficient to keep the
device powered for an extended period in the absence of wind.
Prof Yang added: "Wind
energy is a source of renewable energy. It does not contaminate, it is
inexhaustible and reduces the use of fossil fuels, which are the origin of
greenhouse gasses that cause global warming. Our invention has been shown to
effectively harness this sustainable source of energy to charge batteries and
light LEDs, demonstrating its potential as an energy generator to power the
next generation of electronics, which are smaller in size and require less
power."
The NTU team will be
conducting further research to further improve the energy storage functions of
their device, as well as experiment with different materials to improve its
output power. The research team is also in the process of filing for a patent
with NTUitive, NTU's innovation and enterprise company.
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