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2010
Conference Paper
Titel
Piezoelectric generator for self-powered micro actuators
Abstract
The market growth of microsystems, having integrated active components, such as pumps, valves or small speaker units, is expected to continue at an exceptionally high rate. Typical applications concern equipment for liquid handling in the nanoliter range, like micro dispensing, micro dosage and micro arraying m biomedicme, micro energy systems and security products. Typical actuators can be powered by batteries or, if available, wire bound power supplies. This means high logistic complexity and raised cost corresponding to the increasing numbers of actuators and their complexity in microsystems, factors, which limit commercialization. Currently, alternative sources to power microsystems with electrical energy are considered. One interesting way is to harvest energy from the environment. Typical sources of energy are of thermal (thermoelectric generator), light (solar cell) and mechanical (vibration) origin. Piezoelectric materials are well suited to generate electrical energy from mechanical sources. Dynamic mechanical loads are converted directly into electrical energy by piezoelectric coupling. Piezoelectric generators offer high energy density and the capability to withstand over 109 cycles without degradation. Decreasing power consumption of electronics improves the energy balance between the generated electrical energy provided by a piezoelectric generator and the required electrical energy required by the microsystem. The power supply gap is closing. In view of microsystems technology, the present paper considers the crucial questions whether and how sufficient energy can be generated from a limited generator volume, which nearly equals the size of the actuator? After a short introduction, the commercial basis of piezoelectric materials and technologies is discussed. The next section deals with aspects of power transfer electronic as well as intelligent energy and storage management.