Optimisation of energy harvesting for stiffened composite shells with application to the aircraft wing at structural flight frequency

The conversion of structural dynamic strain into electric power using piezoelectric transducers to microelectronic devices and wireless sensor nodes for structure health monitoring has been receiving growing attention from academic researchers industry. Harvesting energy vibration storing it in an external infinite life-span capacitor is a proposed technique eliminate the drawbacks conventional finite batteries. Optimisation harvested important research topic ensure endless source with sufficient flow electricity. This paper concerns optimisation harvesting composite shells stiffened by beams, discrete flexible sensors bonded surface located optimally. A homogenous shell beams transducer connected resistive load modelled three-dimensional solid elements. An efficient effective placement methodology find optimal locations based on maximisation average percentage effectiveness as objective function. study firstly verified against published work cantilever flat plate beam, then implemented optimise aircraft wing at frequencies during flight. results show high reduction computational effort improved complex large-scale structures compared alternative methods. Furthermore, obtained distribution shows promise be activate monitoring.