Floating slab track-oriented energy harvesting system and application

Abstract

The invention discloses a floating slab track-oriented energy harvesting system and application, and belongs to the technical field of energy harvesting. The device comprises an energy harvesting system front-end assembly, an energy regulation and control module and a state monitoring module, the energy harvesting system front-end assembly comprises an energy collector and a vibration transmission rod piece; the energy collector is mounted below the steel rail through a vibration transmission rod piece; the energy regulation and control module comprises a battery and a piezoelectric energy polymerization regulation and control module; the energy collector is connected with the piezoelectric energy polymerization regulation and control module, and the piezoelectric energy polymerization regulation and control module is connected with the battery; according to the system, the energy capturing function and the state monitoring function are combined into a whole, the integrated intelligent vibration and noise sensor can achieve self-energy-supply operation, the dynamic response of a track structure and environment noise are monitored in real time, and data support is provided for health assessment and vibration and noise reduction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of energy harvesting technology, and more specifically to an energy harvesting system for floating plate tracks and its applications. Background Technology

[0002] With the accelerating pace of global urbanization, rail transit, with its advantages of high capacity, high efficiency, and low pollution, has become the backbone of modern urban public transportation. As a core component of rail transit, the operational safety and reliability of subways directly affect the normal operation of cities. However, the vibration and noise problems caused by the long-term cyclical operation of subway trains are becoming increasingly prominent, affecting not only passenger comfort but also potentially posing hazards to tunnel structures, the surrounding environment, and precision instruments. To effectively suppress vibration transmission, floating slab track structures, due to their excellent vibration isolation performance, are widely used in subway lines both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the key technologies for solving subway vibration problems.

[0003] While floating slab tracks isolate vibrations, the large, low-frequency mechanical vibrations generated by passing trains inherently contain enormous energy. Currently, most of this abundant kinetic energy is dissipated into the environment as heat, failing to be effectively utilized and resulting in energy waste. On the other hand, to achieve real-time sensing and intelligent management of the track structure's health status, various monitoring sensors (such as vibration and noise sensors) are deployed extensively along the track. These sensors currently rely mainly on wired power or chemical batteries, which suffer from numerous drawbacks, including complex wiring, high costs, limited battery life, and difficulties in regular replacement and maintenance. Especially in enclosed and harsh environments such as underground tunnels, maintenance operations are extremely inconvenient, severely restricting the long-term, stable, and autonomous operation capabilities of intelligent monitoring systems.

[0004] Therefore, developing intelligent monitoring systems that utilize environmental energy for self-powered operation has become an important trend in the intelligent development of rail transit. Energy harvesting technology, which involves collecting dispersed trace energy (such as vibration energy, thermal energy, and wind energy) from the environment and converting it into electrical energy, provides an ideal solution to completely solve the aforementioned power supply problems for sensors. Among numerous environmental energy sources, vibration energy has the greatest application potential due to its wide distribution and high density in the track environment. However, traditional electromagnetic or piezoelectric energy harvesters are typically linear resonant designs with narrow high-efficiency operating bandwidths and high optimal operating frequencies, making it difficult to match the unique low-frequency, large-displacement vibration characteristics of floating slab tracks. This results in low energy capture efficiency, failing to meet actual power demand.

[0005] In current floating slab track systems, environmental vibration energy is widespread but not effectively utilized. This leads to the reliance on traditional power supply methods for intelligent monitoring equipment (such as intelligent vibration and noise sensors) distributed along the line, resulting in complex wiring, high battery replacement and maintenance costs, and poor long-term stability. Especially in enclosed spaces such as subway tunnels, frequent battery replacements not only increase the maintenance burden but also affect the continuity and reliability of the rail transit system.

[0006] In addition, traditional energy collectors often suffer from problems such as high structural rigidity, narrow energy capture bandwidth, and low output power, making it difficult to adapt to the characteristics of low-frequency, large-displacement vibration of floating plate tracks, resulting in insufficient energy conversion efficiency and inability to meet the continuous power supply requirements of smart sensors. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a highly efficient energy harvesting system for floating slab tracks and its applications. This system aims to overcome the bottleneck of low-frequency vibration capture efficiency in existing technologies by innovatively integrating a magnetically coupled double-wing negative stiffness energy collector, significantly widening the effective operating frequency band and reducing the response frequency, thus efficiently capturing specific vibration energy from the floating slab track. Simultaneously, the system incorporates a highly integrated piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module to rectify, convert, and manage unstable raw electrical energy, providing a stable and reliable power supply for the intelligent sensing unit. This system innovatively combines energy harvesting and condition monitoring functions. Its integrated intelligent vibration and noise sensor not only enables self-powered operation and real-time monitoring of the dynamic response of the track structure and environmental noise, providing data support for health assessment and vibration and noise reduction, but also constitutes a complete "collection-power supply-sensing" intelligent closed loop. The research and development of this system has significant theoretical and engineering value for improving the energy utilization rate of rail transit systems, realizing unmanned operation of monitoring equipment, and promoting the green and intelligent development of rail transit.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides an energy harvesting system for floating plate tracks, characterized by a front-end component and an energy regulation module of the energy harvesting system; The energy harvesting system front-end components include an energy collector and a vibration transmission rod; the energy collector is installed below the rail via the vibration transmission rod. The energy regulation module includes a battery and a piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module; the energy collector is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module, and the piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module is connected to the battery; the piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module powers the intelligent vibration and noise sensor.

[0009] Preferably, the front-end component of the energy harvesting system further includes an energy harvesting system base; The energy collector is mounted on the base of the energy harvesting system by a first fixing screw.

[0010] Preferably, the intelligent vibration and noise sensor includes a vibration acceleration sensor and a noise sensor.

[0011] Preferably, the energy regulation module further includes a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell, a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module cover, a direct power output terminal, a power input terminal, a USB power output terminal, a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module, a battery top cover, and a battery silicone buffer. The battery compartment inside the casing of the electric energy aggregation and regulation module is equipped with a battery silicone buffer. The battery is installed inside the battery compartment via a battery top cover; The piezoelectric energy aggregation control module and the electric energy aggregation control module are fixedly connected in the outer shell; The piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module cover is installed on the outer shell of the electric energy aggregation and control module. The energy collector is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module via an electrical energy input terminal; The piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module is divided into two paths: one path is connected to the battery, and the other path is connected to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor via a USB power output terminal and an electrical power output terminal.

[0012] Preferably, the housing of the electric energy aggregation and control module is mounted on the base of the energy harvesting system by a second fixing screw.

[0013] Preferably, the battery silicone buffer includes a battery silicone buffer top, a battery silicone buffer left, a battery silicone buffer right, and a battery silicone buffer bottom; The battery silicone buffer left, battery silicone buffer right, and battery silicone buffer bottom are fixed to the inside of the battery compartment of the electric energy polymerization control module shell with adhesive. The silicone buffer top adhesive is fixed to the top of the battery.

[0014] Preferably, the energy regulation module further includes a function mode switching switch; The function mode switching switch is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module.

[0015] Preferably, the piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module includes a rectifier current management module, a voltage conversion module, a power management module, and an energy storage module.

[0016] Preferably, the rectifier module includes an active bridge rectifier circuit based on a cross-coupled charge pump, with a built-in low-power comparator to continuously monitor the amplitude of the input voltage; when the amplitude is lower than a set threshold, the circuit operates in pre-charging mode, prioritizing power supply to the management module; when the amplitude is higher than the set threshold, it switches to full-power rectification mode. The transformer module includes an integrated reconfigurable switched capacitor array; the power management chip executes a micro-interval sweeping MPPT algorithm, which finely adjusts the input voltage V_in and observes the change in input power P, always searching in the direction of increasing power, and finally matching the input impedance to near the maximum power point of the piezoelectric element; The storage module includes a hybrid energy storage unit; The management module includes a multi-channel power switch matrix; the hybrid energy storage unit includes a supercapacitor; the energy after rectification and transformation is first stored in the supercapacitor; when the supercapacitor voltage reaches the threshold V_high, the switch matrix directs excess energy to the battery for long-term storage. When the intelligent vibration and noise sensor requires a large current, the management module prioritizes discharging the supercapacitor; when the intelligent vibration and noise sensor is in sleep mode, the energy after rectification and transformation is used to charge the battery.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: The advantages of this invention are: 1. Targeted installation and transmission design: The system is fixed to the reserved position on the floating slab track with bolts and is directly mechanically coupled to the floating slab through vibration transmission rods. This ensures that the vibration energy is efficiently and reliably transmitted to the energy collector, rather than simply placing a general energy harvesting device near the track, reflecting a deep integration with the application scenario.

[0018] 2. Highly integrated energy management strategy: Multi-module aggregation and control: The system does not only generate electricity, but more importantly, it "refines" the unstable and chaotic piezoelectric energy. Its "piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module" is a highly integrated solution that includes four major functional modules: rectification, transformation, management, and storage.

[0019] Intelligent power management logic: The power management module has intelligent allocation logic: it prioritizes direct power supply to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor, and only stores excess energy in the battery. This reduces energy loss during the energy storage and release process, prioritizes the real-time operation of the load equipment, and achieves a true "self-powered" closed loop.

[0020] 3. Complete system-level solution: The invention provides a plug-and-play overall solution, from mechanical energy capture and electromechanical conversion to electrical energy storage and management, all of which are designed and optimized for the specific need of "powering smart sensors on floating plate tracks".

[0021] The ultimate goal is to replace traditional power sources and batteries, solving the industry pain points of difficult power supply and high maintenance costs for sensors in environments such as subway tunnels. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the novel energy harvesting system for floating plate tracks according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the energy regulation module structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the energy conversion process of the system of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the system workflow of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0025] The terminology used in one or more embodiments of this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the one or more embodiments of this specification. The singular forms “a,” “described,” and “the” as used in one or more embodiments of this specification and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in one or more embodiments of this specification refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0026] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used to describe various information in one or more embodiments of this specification, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, first may also be referred to as second without departing from the scope of one or more embodiments of this specification, and similarly, second may also be referred to as first. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to a determination."

[0027] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings: This invention provides an energy harvesting system for floating plate tracks, including an energy harvesting system front-end component and an energy regulation module; The front-end components of the energy harvesting system include an energy collector 2 and a vibration transmission rod 4; the energy collector 2 is installed below the rail 5 via the vibration transmission rod 4. The energy regulation module includes a battery 20 and a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module 15; the energy collector 2 is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module 15, and the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module 15 is connected to the battery 20; the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module 15 and the battery 20 provide power to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6.

[0028] Preferably, the front-end component of the energy harvesting system further includes an energy harvesting system base 1; The energy collector 2 is mounted on the energy harvesting system base 1 by the first fixing screw 3.

[0029] Preferably, the intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6 includes a vibration acceleration sensor and a noise sensor.

[0030] Preferably, the energy regulation module further includes a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell 8, a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module cover 10, a direct power output terminal 11, a power input terminal 12, a USB power output terminal 13, a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module 15, a battery top cover 16, and a battery silicone buffer. The battery compartment inside the outer shell 8 of the electric energy aggregation and regulation module is equipped with a battery silicone buffer. The battery 20 is installed in the battery compartment via the battery top cover 16; The piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module 15 and the electric energy aggregation and control module housing 8 are fixedly connected; The piezoelectric energy aggregation control module cover 10 is installed on the piezoelectric energy aggregation control module outer shell 8; The energy collector 2 is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module 15 via the power input terminal 12; The piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module 15 is divided into two paths: one path is connected to the battery 20, and the other path is connected to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6 via the USB power output terminal 13 and the power output terminal 7.

[0031] Preferably, the outer shell 8 of the electric energy aggregation and control module is mounted on the energy capture system base 1 by a second fixing screw 9.

[0032] Preferably, the battery silicone buffer includes a battery silicone buffer top 17, a battery silicone buffer left 18, a battery silicone buffer right 19, and a battery silicone buffer bottom 21; The battery silicone buffer left 18, battery silicone buffer right 19 and battery silicone buffer bottom 21 are fixed to the inside of the battery compartment of the electric energy polymerization control module shell 8 by adhesive. The silicone buffer top 17 of the battery is fixed to the top of the battery 20 with adhesive.

[0033] Preferably, the energy regulation module further includes a function mode switching switch 14; The function mode switching switch 14 is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module 15.

[0034] Preferably, the piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module 15 includes a rectifier current management module, a voltage conversion module, a power management module, and an energy storage module.

[0035] This invention relates to a novel energy harvesting system capable of efficiently capturing orbital vibration energy, achieving self-powering, and possessing stable power output and management capabilities. The core of this technical solution lies in the collaborative working relationship between two main units: 1. Energy self-sufficiency: The energy capture and management unit directly powers the status monitoring and data management unit, completely solving the power supply and wiring problems of traditional monitoring equipment in remote scenarios such as tunnels and bridges, and realizing the system's "energy self-sufficiency" and "deployment freedom".

[0036] 2. Intelligent triggering and continuous operation: The system adopts an intelligent triggering mechanism, which can automatically start the working cycle when the monitored target (train) appears, and continue to work as long as energy allows, combining the characteristics of low power consumption and high efficiency.

[0037] 3. Functional Integration: The energy harvester is integrated with a high-performance vibration and noise tester, providing a compact system solution that integrates energy harvesting, power management, signal sensing, data processing, and wireless transmission, greatly reducing deployment and maintenance complexity.

[0038] To better illustrate the technical effects of the present invention, the present invention provides the following specific embodiments to illustrate the above technical process: Example 1: This invention provides a novel energy harvesting system for floating slab tracks. The system integrates an energy collector, a piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module, and an intelligent vibration and noise sensor. The device employs a pre-drilled bolt fixing installation design and is positioned beneath the subway track. It efficiently collects the vibration energy generated by train operation from the floating slab and converts it into usable electrical energy. The intelligent vibration and noise sensor can monitor the dynamic response of the track structure and the environmental noise level in real time, providing data support for track health assessment and vibration and noise reduction. This system combines energy harvesting and condition monitoring functions, which is of great significance for promoting the green and intelligent development of rail transit and is suitable for the renovation of existing lines and the construction of new lines.

[0039] The energy harvesting system consists of: 1. Base; 2. Energy collector; 3. First fixing screw; 4. Vibration transmission rod; 5. Steel rail; 6. Intelligent vibration and noise sensor; 7. Power output terminal; 8. Piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module housing; 9. Second fixing screw; 10. Piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module housing cover; 11. Direct power output terminal; 12. Power input terminal; 13. USB power output terminal; 14. Function mode switch; 15. Piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module; 16. Battery top cover; 17. Battery silicone buffer top; 18. Battery silicone buffer left; 19. Battery silicone buffer right; 20. Battery; and 21. Battery silicone buffer bottom. The intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6 is installed under the steel rail 5. A schematic diagram of the system is shown below. Figure 1 As shown.

[0040] The front-end components of the energy harvesting system include an energy harvesting system base 1, an energy collector 2, a first fixing screw 3, a vibration transmission rod 4, and a steel rail 5.

[0041] The base 1 of the energy harvesting system and the energy collector 2 are connected by the first fixing screw 3, and the energy collector 2 and the rail 5 are connected by the vibration transmission rod 4.

[0042] The energy regulation module includes an electric energy aggregation and regulation module housing 8, a second fixing screw 9, a piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module housing cover 10, a direct power output terminal 11, an electric power input terminal 12, a USB power output terminal 13, a function mode switch 14, a piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module 15, a battery top cover 16, a battery silicone buffer top 17, a battery silicone buffer left 18, a battery silicone buffer right 19, a battery 20, and a battery silicone buffer bottom 21. The battery silicone buffer left 18, battery silicone buffer right 19, and battery silicone buffer bottom 21 are fixed to the inside of the battery compartment of the electric energy aggregation and regulation module housing 8 with adhesive. The battery silicone buffer top 17 is fixed to the top of the battery 20 with adhesive. The battery top cover 16 is connected with fixing screws and fixes the battery 20 inside the battery compartment. The piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module 15 and the electric energy aggregation and regulation module housing 8 are connected with fixing screws. The piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module housing cover 10 and the electric energy aggregation and regulation module housing 8 are connected with fixing screws. A schematic diagram of the energy regulation module is shown below. Figure 2 As shown. The front-end components of the energy harvesting system are connected to the energy regulation module via the power input terminal 12. The energy regulation module and the intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6 are connected via the power output terminal 7. The direct power output terminal 11 is connected to other devices that require power in actual engineering, enabling the supply of power to any low-power device; the function mode switching switch 14 is connected to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module 15, which changes the priority of the power generated by the energy harvesting system in the algorithm for supplying the battery, the direct power output terminal 11, or the intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6; the function modes include modes one to four: mode one: priority supply to the battery; mode two: priority supply to the direct power output terminal 11; mode three: priority supply to the battery and the intelligent vibration and noise sensor 6; mode four: adaptive mode.

[0043] The new energy harvesting system for floating slab tracks needs to be installed in the reserved position on the floating slab below the track and fixed with bolts. During operation, track vibration transmits vibration energy to the energy collector 2 via vibration transmission rod 4. The energy collector 2 converts the vibration energy into electrical energy, which is then input from the energy collector 2 to the energy control module via the power input terminal 12. The piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module includes a rectifier current management module, a voltage conversion module, a power management module, and an energy storage module. The piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module converts electrical energy into direct current and stores it in the battery. Specifically, the rectifier current management module converts the electrical energy generated by the energy collector 2 into direct current, the voltage conversion module converts the voltage into the target voltage, and the power management module can directly supply electrical energy to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor or store it in the energy storage module (battery). The battery can store electrical energy and supply it to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor.

[0044] The system adopts a compact modular structure and is bolted to a pre-reserved installation position under the floating slab track, exhibiting good mechanical stability and environmental adaptability. Core components include a vibration transmission rod 4, an energy collector 2, and a piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module. The vibration transmission rod is directly mechanically coupled to the floating slab (rail 5), transmitting track vibration to the energy collector 2. The energy collector 2 employs a magnetically coupled double-wing negative stiffness design. The energy collector 2 achieves negative stiffness characteristics through a double-wing beam structure and nonlinear magnetic coupling design, significantly reducing the system's equivalent stiffness and enhancing its response to low-frequency vibrations. The piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module integrates rectification, transformation, management, and storage functions, enabling efficient energy aggregation and on-demand distribution.

[0045] The effective operating frequency band of the system is broadened by the magnetic coupling negative stiffness mechanism, enabling it to adapt to the typical low-frequency vibration environment (e.g., 60–70 Hz) of floating slab tracks. The double-wing structure design and magnetic nonlinear coupling reduce the system's resonant frequency while increasing the vibration response amplitude, thereby maintaining high energy capture efficiency over a wider frequency range.

[0046] The system output power can reach the milliwatt level, meeting the daily power consumption requirements of the intelligent vibration and noise sensor. The energy conversion method includes: vibration mechanical energy is converted into alternating current via magnetoelectric conversion, and then converted into direct current via a rectifier current management module; the voltage conversion module adjusts the voltage to the target voltage (3.3 V or 5 V); the power management module realizes intelligent power distribution, prioritizing direct power supply to the sensor, and storing excess energy in the built-in battery. The battery acts as a buffer unit, providing continuous power support when vibration energy is insufficient, thus forming a complete self-powered closed-loop system. A schematic diagram of the energy conversion process is shown below. Figure 3 As shown in the figure. This system not only improves energy capture efficiency and system adaptability, but also reduces dependence on external power supply, making it suitable for long-term, stable, and automated monitoring scenarios for floating slab tracks.

[0047] The integrated vibration and sound acquisition sensor includes: a vibration sensor unit comprising an accelerometer, a noise sensor, an integrated processing and control module, and a sensor housing; the accelerometer is used to measure triaxial vibration acceleration (x, y, z axes); the noise sensor unit collects ambient sound; the integrated processing and control module controls communication between the USB external interface, SPI, UART ports and the built-in chip, logic judgment processing, external drive circuitry, Bluetooth communication, continuous sampling, and conditional sampling; and the sensor housing encapsulates the sensor unit, with a magnetic base at its bottom for attachment to a steel rail or steel base. Connection methods include wired and wireless connections.

[0048] This invention provides an integrated energy harvesting and condition monitoring system for floating slab tracks. This system deeply integrates vibration energy harvesting and structural health monitoring functions to form a self-powered, intelligent organic whole.

[0049] The system mainly consists of two core functional units: 1. Energy capture and management unit: including energy collector and piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module.

[0050] 2. Condition monitoring and data management unit: including vibration and noise tester (built-in sensor module, integrated processing and control module, and communication module).

[0051] II. Technical solutions and workflows for each component 1. Energy capture and energy management Functional components: energy collector, piezoelectric energy aggregation and regulation module.

[0052] When a train passes, it triggers vibrations in the floating slab track. This vibrational energy is transferred to the energy collector (magnetically coupled double-wing negative stiffness energy collector) through a mechanical structure. Utilizing its negative stiffness characteristics, the energy collector efficiently converts the low-frequency, large-displacement mechanical vibration energy into alternating current (AC) energy. The generated AC power is then supplied to the piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module. This module contains rectification, voltage regulation, and energy storage circuits, responsible for converting the unstable AC power into stable DC power and continuously powering the entire condition monitoring and data management unit. A schematic diagram of the energy conversion process is shown below. Figure 3 As shown 2. Status monitoring and data transmission Functional components: sensor module, integrated processing and control module, and communication module (all integrated into the vibration and noise tester).

[0053] Once the system is triggered (by a passing train or a vibration threshold), the sensor modules (vibration acceleration sensors, microphones) begin operating, collecting real-time vibration and noise data from the track. The collected raw data is sent to the integrated processing and control module. This module performs preprocessing (e.g., filtering, noise reduction), feature extraction (e.g., calculating RMS values, spectral analysis), and state analysis on the data. The processed results are then output to the backend monitoring center or cloud server via the communication module (4G / 5G, Wi-Fi). As long as the system is continuously triggered and has a power supply, this "sensing-processing-output" cycle will continuously output data, enabling long-term, uninterrupted monitoring. A schematic diagram of the system's workflow is shown below. Figure 4 As shown.

[0054] The advantages of this invention are: I. Targeted Installation and Transmission Design: The system is bolted to the reserved position on the floating slab track and mechanically coupled directly to the floating slab via vibration transmission rod 4. This ensures that vibration energy is efficiently and reliably transmitted to the energy collector, rather than simply placing a generic energy harvesting device near the track, demonstrating a deep integration with the application scenario.

[0055] The innovative design of the vibration transmission rod 4 in this invention is a two-way adaptive hinge structure. The technical problem it solves is that there is complex relative motion between the rail 5 and the floating plate, including vertical vibration, lateral oscillation, and minute longitudinal displacement. If a rigid connecting rod is used, it will rapidly fatigue and fracture due to stress concentration, or the excessive constraint will alter the dynamic characteristics of the track itself.

[0056] Specific structural design: 1. Upper Joint and Magnetic Attachment: The upper end of transmission rod 4 is connected to a clamp via a universal joint. This clamp is fixed to the rail web by magnetic attraction (such as an internal permanent magnet) or elastic clamping. Magnetic / elastic attraction provides a secure connection while avoiding destructive installation methods such as drilling holes in the rail. The universal joint ensures that vibrations from multiple directions from the rail are effectively transmitted.

[0057] 2. Lower end negative stiffness interface: The lower end of the transmission rod 4 is not directly connected, but acts on the pressure wing plate (i.e. the additional mass block) of the energy collector.

[0058] The energy transfer process and negative stiffness excitation mechanism of the energy collector of this invention are similar to the adjustable high-efficiency broadband energy harvesting device based on double negative characteristics. The core working principle is that the design of this structure aims to actively excite the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the negative stiffness mechanism in order to achieve efficient energy capture. Detailed energy transfer process: 1. Excitation transmission: The vibration of the rail 5 (especially in the vertical direction) is converted into periodic pressure on the pressure vane of the negative stiffness collector through the transmission rod 4.

[0059] 2. Critical State Triggering: When this pressure acts on the curved guide groove through the transmission rod, its component force will push the permanent magnet connected to the additional mass block, causing it to approach the repulsion extreme point of another fixed magnet. Due to the coordinated design of the magnetic repulsion force and the mechanical structure, the system exhibits high static stiffness (ensuring stability) near the equilibrium point. However, when a certain displacement threshold (critical state) is reached, the overall system stiffness drops sharply due to the nonlinear change of the magnetic repulsion force, i.e., a "negative stiffness" effect occurs.

[0060] 3. Snap-through and Energy Release: Once the critical point is crossed, the pressure vane will undergo a rapid, large-amplitude "snap-through" motion under the combined action of magnetic repulsion and mechanical elasticity. The kinetic energy and velocity of this snap-through process are far greater than the direct excitation of the input vibration.

[0061] 4. High-efficiency power conversion: This high-speed jump motion directly drives the rigidly connected piezoelectric beam to undergo violent deformation, thereby outputting a high-power power pulse in a very short time.

[0062] Invention points and advantages: Energy amplification effect: This process does not follow the vibration linearly, but rather "stores" the slow, dispersed orbital vibration energy and then releases it "explosively" through a sudden change in negative stiffness. It is equivalent to a mechanical "energy amplifier" and is particularly suitable for capturing orbital vibration energy with low frequency but large displacement.

[0063] Bandwidth expansion: The negative stiffness system is less sensitive to frequency than the traditional resonant energy trap. As long as the accumulated input energy reaches the trigger threshold, it can work, thus effectively expanding the energy trapping bandwidth.

[0064] Compared to a single-wing structure, a dual-wing design allows for effective energy capture in both directions of vibration, resulting in smaller fluctuations in output power and higher overall efficiency.

[0065] Internal force balance: The symmetrical structure allows most of the internal forces to cancel each other out, reducing the impact and load on the external support and improving the service life and reliability of the entire device.

[0066] II. Highly Integrated Energy Management Strategy (Efficiency Guarantee Points): Multi-module aggregation and control: The system does not only generate electricity, but more importantly, it "refines" the unstable and chaotic piezoelectric energy. Its "piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module" is a highly integrated solution that includes four major functional modules: rectification, transformation, management, and storage.

[0067] Intelligent power management logic: The power management module has intelligent allocation logic: it prioritizes direct power supply to the intelligent vibration and noise sensor, and only stores excess energy in the battery. This reduces energy loss during the energy storage and release process, prioritizes the real-time operation of the load equipment, and achieves a true "self-powered" closed loop.

[0068] Protection Point 1: Multi-module aggregated control module for piezoelectric energy characteristics: 1. Adaptive Ultra-Low Voltage Start-up Rectifier Module Specific module structure: An active bridge rectifier circuit based on a cross-coupled charge pump is adopted to replace the traditional passive diode bridge rectifier.

[0069] Implementation methods and innovations: The technical problem solved: Traditional diode rectification has a forward voltage drop of 0.3-0.7V. Under the low amplitude AC voltage generated by piezoelectricity, the energy loss ratio is extremely high, and it may even fail to start.

[0070] Implementation details: Replace the diode with a MOSFET switch. Through a bootstrap circuit, the MOSFET is controlled to turn on at a precise moment, and its on-resistance (R_ds(on)) can be as low as tens of milliohms, thereby reducing the rectified voltage drop by an order of magnitude.

[0071] Adaptive Mechanism: The circuit incorporates a low-power comparator that continuously monitors the amplitude of the input voltage. When the amplitude is below a set threshold (e.g., 150mV), the circuit operates in pre-charge mode, prioritizing power supply to the management chip; only when the amplitude is sufficiently high does it switch to full-power rectification mode. This ensures that the system can still effectively harvest energy under slight mechanical vibrations.

[0072] 2. Switched-capacitor-based transformer and maximum power point tracking (MPPT) module Specific module structure: It integrates a reconfigurable switched capacitor array, rather than a traditional inductive DC-DC converter.

[0073] Implementation methods and innovations: Technical problem to be solved: Piezoelectric elements have a specific optimal operating voltage (V_mp), and traditional circuits with fixed transformer ratios cannot adapt to energy capture under different vibration intensities.

[0074] Implementation details: This module can be controlled via firmware to dynamically configure the capacitor network to different boost / buck ratios (e.g., 1:2, 1:3, 2:1, etc.). The power management chip executes a micro-interval sweeping MPPT algorithm. The algorithm fine-tunes the input voltage V_in and observes changes in the input power P, always searching in the direction of increasing power, ultimately matching the input impedance to near the maximum power point of the piezoelectric element.

[0075] Innovative advantages: The switched capacitor solution is coreless, highly efficient, and easy to integrate. Combined with this MPPT algorithm, it can extract 20%-30% more energy from the piezoelectric element than traditional circuits.

[0076] 3. Intelligent Hybrid Energy Storage and Management Module Specific module structure: It adopts a hybrid energy storage unit of "supercapacitor-rechargeable thin-film lithium battery" and is equipped with a multi-channel power switch matrix.

[0077] Implementation methods and innovations: Technical problems to be solved: A single battery cannot cope with the characteristics of high instantaneous pulse power and low average power of piezoelectric energy, and frequent micro-charging and discharging will damage the battery life.

[0078] Specific implementation: 1. Energy caching path: The energy after rectification and transformation is first stored in a small supercapacitor (e.g., 0.1F). The supercapacitor is responsible for absorbing high-frequency, pulsed energy and can directly power the instantaneous high current operation of the sensor (e.g., wireless transmission).

[0079] 2. Energy archiving path: When the supercapacitor voltage reaches the threshold V_high, the switching matrix directs the excess energy to the rechargeable thin-film lithium battery (battery 20) for long-term storage.

[0080] 3. Intelligent switching logic: The management chip monitors load demand in real time. When the sensor requires a large current, the supercapacitor discharges first; when the sensor is in sleep mode, the system energy is used to charge the battery.

[0081] Protection Point Two: Intelligent Power Management Logic Based on Load Prediction The management logic of this invention goes beyond the simple "prioritize supply and store excess", and its core lies in the prediction and forward-looking scheduling of load energy consumption.

[0082] 1. Load power consumption profile and state prediction Implementation: The system establishes a power consumption profile table in Flash for different working modes of the intelligent vibration and noise sensor (such as sleep, sampling, feature calculation, and wireless transmission), which accurately records the typical current, duration, and triggering conditions of each mode.

[0083] Intelligent decision-making: When the energy management module is woken up, it does not immediately supply power. Instead, it first predicts the total energy consumption and peak power in the near future by querying the sensor's work plan (such as "a timed data collection will be performed in 5 minutes") or analyzing the current wake-up reason (such as "triggered by continuous vibration, it may soon enter continuous monitoring mode").

[0084] 2. Dynamic Energy Allocation Algorithm Core Algorithm: Based on the prediction results and the current energy storage state, the management module executes the following decision-making process: 2.1. Energy sufficiency determination: Calculate the available energy of the system `E_available = E_supercap + E_battery`.

[0085] 2.2. Working mode authorization: If E_available ≥ E_load and the supercapacitor can satisfy P_peak alone, authorize the sensor to enter the full-function mode.

[0086] If E_available ≥ E_load but the supercapacitor cannot satisfy P_peak, replenish energy from the battery to the supercapacitor in advance and then authorize the operation.

[0087] If E_available < E_load, the system will not start high-power tasks but enter a minimized working mode (such as only collecting data and storing it locally, without wireless transmission temporarily), and report the "energy shortage" status to the cloud at the same time. This avoids the system crashing due to repeated attempts to start in the critical energy state and ensures the continuity of the most critical monitoring tasks.

[0088] 2.3. Realization of the true "self-powered" closed loop Through the above technologies, the system has achieved a qualitative change from "using energy randomly when there is energy" to "allocating according to demand and living within means". Its closed-loop logic is: "Perceive environmental energy > Predict load demand > Intelligent allocation of energy storage > Precise power supply according to plan > Complete monitoring tasks > Return to the ultra-low power state" This logic ensures that in a typical intermittent vibration environment (such as when a subway passes at intervals), the collected energy is used most efficiently for valuable monitoring activities, thus achieving long-term operation without manual intervention in a statistical sense, that is, the "true self-powered closed loop".

[0089] III. Complete system-level solution (application innovation points): The invention provides a plug-and-play overall solution. All links from mechanical energy harvesting, electro-mechanical conversion to electrical energy storage and management are designed and optimized for the specific requirement of "powering intelligent sensors on floating slab tracks".

[0090] The ultimate goal is to replace traditional power supplies and batteries and solve the industry pain points of difficult sensor power supply and high maintenance costs in environments such as subway tunnels.

[0091] The innovation points of this invention are: 1. Protect the structural assembly of the entire energy harvesting system: including the connection and spatial arrangement of the energy collector, vibration transmission rods, and piezoelectric energy aggregation and control module. It is installed by bolts to a pre-reserved position below the floating plate track.

[0092] 2. Protection of functional modules and connection relationships: Protection of specific components and functional flow of the energy regulation module: Clearly define the protection of the combination of four modules including rectifier current management module, voltage conversion module, power management module and energy storage module, as well as their electrical connection relationships and signal flow (i.e. how electrical energy flows from the input terminal through each module to the battery or sensor).

[0093] 4. The intelligent allocation method of the protection power management module: the control logic of "prioritizing direct power supply to the load and then storing energy".

[0094] 5. The energy regulation method of the floating plate track energy harvesting system includes the following steps: receiving AC power, rectifying it into DC power, converting the voltage, and managing the power (determining whether to supply it directly to the load or store it in the battery).

[0095] 6. Application scenario protection: The energy harvesting system is specifically designed to protect the area beneath the floating plate track and to power the intelligent vibration sensor for this particular purpose and application scenario.

[0096] Example 2: The vibration transmission rod can be constructed using a simple spring and a mass block to form a resonator, and then its displacement can be amplified by a lever mechanism to drive any of the above-mentioned power generation mechanisms. However, the lever mechanism will introduce friction and gaps, so the efficiency may not be high and the volume may be large.

[0097] Example 3: The MPPT algorithm is added to the power management module to adjust the load impedance in real time, so that the energy harvester always works at the maximum power output point. Especially in real environments with frequent changes in vibration amplitude, it can greatly improve the energy capture efficiency.

[0098] In the several embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules, units, or units is merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units, modules, or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed.

[0099] The units may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units can be one or more physical units, meaning they can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0100] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0101] In particular, according to embodiments disclosed in this invention, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of this disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication component, and / or installed from a removable medium. When the computer program is executed by a central processing unit (CPU), it performs the functions defined in the methods of this invention. It should be noted that the computer-readable medium described above in this invention can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination of the two. The computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof.

[0102] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0103] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A power capture system for a floating plate track, characterized by: The energy trapping system front-end assembly and the energy regulation module are included. The energy trapping system front-end assembly includes an energy collector (2) and a vibration transmission rod (4); the energy collector (2) is installed below the steel rail (5) through the vibration transmission rod (4). The energy regulation module includes a battery (20) and a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15); the energy collector (2) is connected with the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15), the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15) is connected with the battery (20); the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15) and the battery (20) supply power for the intelligent vibration and noise sensor (6).

2. The floating slab track-oriented energy trapping system according to claim 1, wherein: The energy trapping system front-end assembly further includes an energy trapping system base (1); The energy collector (2) is installed on the energy trapping system base (1) through the first fixing screw (3).

3. The floating slab track-oriented energy trapping system according to claim 2, wherein: The intelligent vibration and noise sensor (6) includes a vibration acceleration sensor and a noise sensor.

4. The floating slab track-oriented energy trapping system according to claim 3, wherein: The energy regulation module further includes a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell (8), a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell cover (10), a direct energy supply output end (11), an electric energy input end (12), a USB energy supply output end (13), a piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15), a battery top cover (16) and a battery silica gel buffer; The battery silica gel buffer is installed on the inner side of the battery compartment of the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell (8); The battery (20) is installed in the battery compartment through the battery top cover (16); The piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15) and the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell (8) are fixedly connected; The piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell cover (10) is arranged on the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell (8); The energy collector (2) is connected with the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15) through the electric energy input end (12); The piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module (15) is divided into two paths, one of which is connected with the battery (20), and the other of which is connected with the intelligent vibration and noise sensor (6) through the USB energy supply output end (13) and the electric energy output end (7).

5. The floating slab track-oriented energy trapping system according to claim 4, wherein: The piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell (8) is installed on the energy trapping system base (1) through the second fixing screw (9).

6. The floating slab track-oriented energy trapping system according to claim 5, wherein: The battery silica gel buffer includes a battery silica gel buffer top (17), a battery silica gel buffer left (18), a battery silica gel buffer right (19) and a battery silica gel buffer bottom (21); The battery silica gel buffer left (18), the battery silica gel buffer right (19) and the battery silica gel buffer bottom (21) are fixed to the inner side of the battery compartment of the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulation module shell (8) through adhesive; The battery silica gel buffer top (17) is fixed to the top of the battery (20) through adhesive.

7. The energy harvesting system for floating slab track according to claim 6, wherein: The energy regulating module further comprises a function mode switching switch (14); The function mode switching switch (14) is connected with the piezoelectric energy aggregation regulating module (15).

8. The energy harvesting system for floating slab track according to claim 7, wherein: The piezoelectric energy aggregation regulating module (15) comprises a rectified current management module, a voltage conversion module, a power management module and an energy storage module.

9. The energy harvesting system for floating slab track according to claim 8, wherein: The rectified module comprises an active bridge rectifier circuit based on cross-coupled charge pump, with a built-in micro-power comparator continuously monitoring the amplitude of the input voltage; when the amplitude is lower than the set threshold, the circuit works in pre-charge mode, giving priority to power supply for the management module; when the amplitude is higher than the set threshold, it switches to full-power rectification mode; The voltage conversion module comprises an integrated reconfigurable switched capacitor array; the power management chip performs a micro-interval sweep frequency MPPT algorithm, adjusts the input voltage V_in, and observes the change of the input power P, always searching in the direction of power increase, and finally matches the input impedance to the vicinity of the maximum power point of the piezoelectric sheet; The storage module comprises a hybrid energy storage unit; The management module comprises a multi-gating power switch matrix; the hybrid energy storage unit comprises a super capacitor; the rectified and converted energy is first stored in the super capacitor; when the voltage of the super capacitor reaches the threshold V_high, the switch matrix directs the excess energy to the battery (20) for long-term storage. When the smart vibration sensor (6) needs a large current, the management module is preferentially discharged by the super capacitor; when the smart vibration sensor (6) is in sleep mode, the rectified and converted energy is used to charge the battery (20).

10. Use of a rail-to-ski system according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The system is installed under the floating slab track and powers the smart vibration sensor (6).

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