Project Abstract

Recent research indicates that energy harvesting from flow-based oscillations is a promising technique with broad applications in technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless sensor networks, MEMS-based portable devices and monitoring systems. Piezoelectric transducers are particularly well-suited to harvest flow-induced vibrations.

When it comes to harvesting energy from unsteady flow fields, the potential of cavity flow oscillations as a possible candidate has yet to be studied in detail. Grazing flow over certain rectangular cavity cut-outs is known to generate self-sustaining oscillations. Cavity flow oscillations are largely undesirable, and several methods have been investigated to control them. While detrimental otherwise, the self-sustained oscillations have the potential to power devices if harvested efficiently. There is a semi-empirical relation governing the frequency of oscillations, and this can be used to tune the harvester to lock in with the flow oscillations in order to derive maximum power. Possessing a simple geometry, a cavity flow-based energy harvesting device can be envisaged in numerous scenarios, such as aircraft, automobiles, inter-coach gaps, pipelines and even rivers for powering sensors.

The proposed study will investigate the application of rectangular cavity flow oscillations for micro-energy harvesting in detail. Various harvesting methods will be explored, and parameters affecting the generated power will be investigated. Computer simulations (LES) would also be carried out to supplement the experimental measurements and flow visualisations.