A Magnet-Coil-Type Bistable Vibration Energy Harvester for Random Wave Environment

In this study, a new bistable vibration energy harvesting system is developed by originally proposing a bistable vibration model comprising a spring and a mass block and then applying a vibration generator composed of a coil and a magnet. The nonlinear equations of motion for this vibration energy harvesting system are developed and the static potential energy distribution is analyzed. The bistable vibration characteristics and the method for prediction of the periodic excitation frequency at which stochastic resonance is likely to occur are investigated theoretically, and the electromagnetic induction-based bistable vibration energy harvesting system is then developed. We predicted the excitation value that the stochastic resonance phenomenon is most likely to occur at 1.543 Hz. We also conducted experiments at 1.15 Hz, 1.50 Hz, and 1.85 Hz, which are centered on the predicted value. As a result, stochastic resonance occurred in all experimental cases. The power generation efficiency was improved by 125.03%, 149.05%, and 95.39%, respectively.