Power Evaluation for Flutter-based Elctromagnetic Energy Harvester Using Cfd Simulations

Structural instability caused by self exciting aerodynamic forces (flutter) can be used as an effective input source for small scale energy harvesters. The self exciting aerodynamic force exerted on a T-shape cantilever causes periodic vibration, which can be converted into electric power through an electromagnetic transducer. Due to the complexities inherent in the fluid-structure interaction between the cantilever harvester and wind flow, analyzing the structural response of the cantilever and estimating the power output from the flutter based energy harvester are challenging. VXflow, a CFD code based on the vortex particle method, is employed in this study to simulate the wind induced responses of a T-shape cantilever beam and to estimate the power output extracted from the flutter vibration. The estimated aerodynamic damping parameter, together with the mechanical and electromagnetic damping parameters, in the harvester are then used to find the flutter critical wind speed where flutter starts and the proper load resistance.