Title: Energy harvesting from suspension systems using regenerative force actuators

Authors: Farbod Khoshnoud; Dinesh Babu Sundar; M.N.M. Badi; Yong K. Chen; Rajnish K. Calay; Clarence W. De Silva

Addresses: School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK; Industrial Automation Laboratory, Department of Mechanical, Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada ' School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK ' School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK ' School of Engineering and Technology, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, AL10 9AB, UK ' Narvik University College, Lodve Langes gt. 2, Postboks 385, 8505 Narvik, Norway ' Department of Mechanical, Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

Abstract: In this paper, harvesting vibration energy from suspension is investigated. Theoretical values for the harvested energy are calculated. Experimental evaluation of the energy is performed using vehicle road simulation facilities. An excitation signal in the frequency range of 0.5 Hz to 20 Hz is applied to the vehicle and the harvested power is calculated. Experimental results give a maximum harvested power of 984.4 W at the highest frequency, which is close to the theoretically computed value of 1,106 W, for each suspension. Application of regenerative force actuators (RFA) is explored for harvesting the vibration energy and controlling vibration. It is shown that the harvested power increases with the value of the actuator constant.

Keywords: energy harvesting; vibration energy; regenerative force actuators; RFA; active control; vehicle suspension; simulation; vibration control; vehicle vibration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVNV.2013.055804

International Journal of Vehicle Noise and Vibration, 2013 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.294 - 311

Published online: 28 Jun 2014 *

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