Vibration energy collection system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a vibration energy collection system, which is used for collecting vibration energy generated by at least one living body in a livestock breeding process, and comprises an energy conversion device which is in contact with the at least one living body and is used for sensing vibration of the at least one living body in an activity process based on a piezoelectric effect and converting the vibration into an electric signal; and the energy storage device is electrically connected with the energy collection device and is used for storing electric energy based on the electric signal. The invention further provides a vibration energy collecting method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a vibration energy harvesting system and a method for harvesting vibration energy using the vibration energy harvesting system. Background Technology

[0002] Livestock farming plays a vital role in the global economy, not only meeting human dietary needs but also containing other abundant energy resources. For example, the organisms in livestock farming not only provide food such as meat and dairy products, but they can also be used as a labor resource, and their excrement can be used as fuel.

[0003] However, with scientific advancements, humans have discovered more hidden energy resources within animal husbandry. Living organisms continuously generate vibrational energy during their daily activities, such as walking and running. If vibrational energy harvesting technology can be used to convert the vibrational energy generated during livestock movement into usable electrical energy, it can greatly improve energy efficiency in animal husbandry and promote sustainable ecological development. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first aspect of this application provides a vibration energy harvesting system for harvesting vibration energy generated by at least one living animal during livestock farming, including: An energy conversion device, in contact with at least one living object, for sensing vibrations of the at least one living object during activity based on the piezoelectric effect and converting the vibrations into electrical signals; and An energy storage device, electrically connected to the energy harvesting device, is used to store electrical energy based on the electrical signal.

[0005] The aforementioned vibration energy harvesting system converts the vibration energy generated during the daily activities of livestock into reusable electrical energy through an energy conversion device, which is then stored in an energy storage device. When the energy storage device is electrically connected to electrical devices in livestock farming, it can transmit the electrical energy to those devices for use. By harvesting the vibration energy generated during the activities of livestock in livestock farming, the system can effectively improve energy efficiency in livestock farming, reduce the use of traditional energy sources, and promote the sustainable development of the industry.

[0006] Furthermore, the energy conversion device includes multiple piezoelectric structures, each of which is electrically connected to the energy storage device, and each piezoelectric structure is used to independently sense the activity of the at least one living object.

[0007] Furthermore, each of the piezoelectric structures is generally a plate-like structure, used to generate the electrical signal by sensing the stepping or collision action of the at least one living object.

[0008] Furthermore, the plurality of piezoelectric structures are arranged in a matrix comprising multiple rows and columns, with each pair of adjacent piezoelectric structures in direct contact.

[0009] Furthermore, each of the piezoelectric structures is a flexible strip structure, with one end fixed to the at least one living object and the other end swinging with the movement of the at least one living object, generating the electrical signal by sensing its own swing direction and amplitude.

[0010] Furthermore, each of the piezoelectric structures includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer stacked sequentially. When the piezoelectric layer is subjected to pressure, a potential difference is generated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, thereby outputting the electrical signal.

[0011] Furthermore, the vibration energy harvesting system also includes an electrical device that is electrically connected to the energy storage device; The energy storage device is also used to transmit the stored electrical energy to the electrical device for its use.

[0012] Furthermore, the electrical device includes an automatic feeder, an automatic water tank, a lighting device, an automatic roadblock, a positioning device, or a health monitoring device.

[0013] Furthermore, the energy storage device includes a capacitor or an energy storage battery.

[0014] The second aspect of this application provides a method for harvesting vibrational energy, used to collect vibrational energy generated by at least one living object during livestock farming; The vibration energy harvesting method includes: The vibrations during the movement of the at least one living object are sensed using an energy conversion device, and the vibrations are converted into electrical signals; and The electrical signal is stored in an energy storage device.

[0015] The above-described vibration energy harvesting method, using the above-described vibration energy harvesting system to harvest vibration energy, can achieve all the beneficial effects of the vibration energy harvesting system described above. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the modules of the vibration energy harvesting system of this application when harvesting the vibration energy of a living organism.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the piezoelectric structure in an energy conversion device.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of a plate-shaped piezoelectric structure to the daily activities of living organisms.

[0019] Figure 4This is another schematic diagram illustrating the application of plate-shaped piezoelectric structures to everyday activities of living organisms.

[0020] Figure 5 This is another schematic diagram illustrating the application of plate-shaped piezoelectric structures to the daily activities of living organisms.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of flexible, strip-shaped piezoelectric structures to everyday activities of living organisms.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of the vibration energy harvesting method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Explanation of main component symbols Vibration energy harvesting system: 100 Energy conversion device: 10 Piezoelectric structure: 11 First electrode layer: 110 Piezoelectric layer: 111 Second electrode layer: 112 Energy storage devices: 20 Electrical appliances: 30 Organism: 200 The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this application. Detailed Implementation

[0024] my country's livestock industry is enormous. During the daily activities of livestock (such as walking, running, and eating), organisms continuously generate vibrational energy. This vibrational energy is a continuous energy resource for the livestock industry. By collecting the vibrational energy generated from the daily activities of these organisms and converting it into reusable electrical energy, energy waste can be significantly reduced and resource utilization improved.

[0025] This application provides a vibration energy harvesting system for collecting vibration energy from various organisms during livestock farming.

[0026] Please see Figure 1 The vibration energy harvesting system 100 provided in this application embodiment includes an energy conversion device 10 and an energy storage device 20. The energy conversion device 10 is in contact with at least one living animal 200 in livestock farming, and is used to sense the vibration of the at least one living animal 200 during its activity based on the piezoelectric effect and convert the vibration into an electrical signal. The energy storage device 20 is electrically connected to the energy harvesting device 10 and is used to store electrical energy based on the electrical signal. The energy storage device 20 includes a capacitor or an energy storage battery.

[0027] The energy conversion device 10 includes a plurality of piezoelectric structures 11, each piezoelectric structure 11 being electrically connected to the energy storage device 20, and each piezoelectric structure 11 being used to independently sense the activity of at least one living object 200.

[0028] Please see Figure 2 Each piezoelectric structure 11 includes a first electrode layer 110, a piezoelectric layer 111, and a second electrode layer 112 stacked sequentially. According to the positive piezoelectric effect, when the piezoelectric layer 11 is subjected to pressure, internal polarization occurs (i.e., the positive and negative charges inside the piezoelectric layer 11 move in opposite directions). Therefore, the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 112 located on both sides of the piezoelectric layer 11 can receive positive and negative charges respectively, generating a potential difference between the first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 112, thereby causing the first electrode layer 21 and the second electrode layer 22 to output electrical signals. The first electrode layer 110 and the second electrode layer 112 are electrically connected to the energy storage device 20 to transmit the electrical signals to the energy storage device 20.

[0029] Please see Figure 3 In at least one embodiment of this application, each piezoelectric structure 11 is generally a plate-shaped structure, and each piezoelectric structure 11 is used to generate an electrical signal by sensing the stepping action of at least one living object 200.

[0030] When this plate-shaped piezoelectric structure 11 is integrated into the daily activities of the organism 200, it can be laid as an energy-collecting floor on the ground where the organism 200 performs its daily activities, such as on the floor of a sheep pen or cowshed. Multiple piezoelectric structures 11 are arranged in a matrix consisting of multiple rows and columns, with each pair of adjacent piezoelectric structures 11 in direct contact and densely arranged. When the organism 200 moves on the ground covered with the energy-collecting floor, it will step on the floor, causing the piezoelectric structure 11 to generate an electrical signal under pressure. This electrical signal is then transmitted to the energy storage device 20 for storage.

[0031] The vibration energy harvesting system 100 also includes an electrical device 30, which is electrically connected to the energy storage device 20. The energy storage device 20 is also used to transfer the stored electrical energy to the electrical device 30 for its use. In the case where the piezoelectric structure 11 serves as the energy-collecting floor, the electrical device 30 can be a small electrical device such as an automatic feeder, an automatic water tank, or a lighting device. These small electrical devices require less power and are easy to connect directly to the energy storage device 20.

[0032] Please see Figure 4In at least one embodiment of this application, the plate-shaped piezoelectric structure 11 can also be installed on a wall as an energy-collecting pad. Multiple piezoelectric structures 11 are arranged in a matrix comprising multiple rows and columns, with each pair of adjacent piezoelectric structures 11 in direct contact and densely packed. When a living organism collides with the energy-collecting pad during daily activities, the piezoelectric structure 11 senses the impact (pressure) of the organism 200 and generates an electrical signal, which is then transmitted to the energy storage device 20 for storage. Simultaneously, the energy storage device 20 is electrically connected to the power-consuming device 30 to transfer the stored electrical energy to the power-consuming device 30 for use. In this embodiment, the power-consuming device 30 can be an automatic roadblock, electrically connected to the piezoelectric structure 11 serving as the energy-collecting pad. Once energized, the automatic roadblock facilitates the interception of living organisms, restricting their range of movement and allowing them to move within a safe area enclosed by multiple automatic roadblocks.

[0033] Please see Figure 5 In at least one embodiment of this application, each plate-shaped piezoelectric structure 11 is independently configured. In this embodiment, the piezoelectric structure 11 is worn on the organism 200 during operation. When the organism 200 wears foot equipment such as hooves or shoes, the plate-shaped piezoelectric structure 11 can be installed on the bottom of the foot equipment. When the organism 300 walks or runs, the piezoelectric structure 11 will also generate an electrical signal after being subjected to pressure, which is transmitted to the energy storage device 20 for storage. In this embodiment, the energy storage device 20 is a miniaturized structure and is also worn on the organism 200 so as to be directly electrically connected to the piezoelectric structure 11. The organism 200 can also wear some small and lightweight electrical devices 30, such as positioning devices, health monitoring devices, etc. These electrical devices 30 are directly electrically connected to the energy storage device 20 and worn on the organism 200, which is beneficial for real-time tracking of the position of the organism 200 or real-time monitoring of the organism's health data.

[0034] Please see Figure 6 In at least one embodiment of this application, each piezoelectric structure 11 is a flexible strip structure with a large degree of deformation freedom. One end of each piezoelectric structure 11 is fixed to a living organism 200, and the other end is a free end that can swing with the movement of the living organism 200. The piezoelectric structure 11 generates an electrical signal by sensing its own swing direction and amplitude. In this embodiment, the piezoelectric layer 111 in the piezoelectric structure 11 includes a piezoelectric composite material, which can be polyvinylidene fluoride epoxy resin (PVDF). This piezoelectric composite material has excellent flexibility, and the piezoelectric structure 11 made based on this piezoelectric composite material is easy to process, has a flexible and variable shape, and can be processed into a very thin strip structure, making it easy to wear on the living organism 200.

[0035] When this flexible, strip-shaped piezoelectric structure 11 is integrated into the daily activities of the organism 200, one end of the piezoelectric structure 11 can be tied to the organism 200, while the other end swings in the air with the organism 200's movements. If the organism 200 is stationary, but a breeze blows, the end of the piezoelectric structure 11 not tied to the organism 200 can also swing, thus generating and storing electrical energy. When the piezoelectric structure 11 swings, it bends, causing its two opposing surfaces to be compressed or stretched, thereby generating an electrical signal that is transmitted to the energy storage device 20 for storage. In this embodiment, the energy storage device 20 and the power-consuming device 30 can also be worn on the organism 200. The energy storage device 20 is directly electrically connected to the piezoelectric structure 11 for storing electrical energy based on electrical signals. The power-consuming device 30 is directly electrically connected to the energy storage device 20 to use the electrical energy stored in the energy storage device 20.

[0036] In summary, this application designs piezoelectric structures 11 with different forms for different activity scenarios of the organism 200. These piezoelectric structures 11 have flexible and variable dimensions, allowing for adaptation to different application scenarios to collect vibrational energy generated during the organism 200's activities. For example, an energy-collecting floor composed of multiple piezoelectric structures 11 can be laid in the space where the organism is kept, an energy-collecting pad composed of multiple piezoelectric structures 11 can be installed on the walls, piezoelectric structures 11 can be installed at the bottom of foot devices worn by the animal, or the organism 200 can be fitted with flexible, strip-shaped piezoelectric structures 11. These piezoelectric structures 11 convert the vibrational energy generated by the organism 200's daily activities into electrical energy, which is then accumulated and stored using an energy storage device 20. When the energy storage device 20 is electrically connected to the power-consuming device 30, the energy storage device 20 can transmit the electrical energy to the power-consuming device 30 for use.

[0037] The electrical energy stored in the energy storage device 20 can supply not only the electrical equipment 30 used in animal husbandry, but also the electrical equipment 30 used in other industries. Since the electrical energy stored in the energy storage device 20 is generated using the piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric materials, due to limitations in technology and materials, this electrical energy cannot be applied to large electrical equipment that requires a large amount of electrical energy, but it can supply some small equipment, such as small temperature sensors, small pressure sensors, and small detection devices in parking lots used to detect the entry or exit of vehicles.

[0038] The vibration energy harvesting system 100 of this application converts the activities of organisms into usable energy, which is beneficial to improving energy efficiency in animal husbandry, reducing dependence on traditional energy sources, and thus promoting the energy industry towards a green and sustainable direction. Furthermore, the piezoelectric structure 11 in the energy conversion device 10 generates electricity based on the positive piezoelectric effect, resulting in stable power generation that is minimally affected by external environmental factors.

[0039] Please see Figure 7 This application also provides a vibration energy harvesting method for collecting vibration energy generated by at least one living animal during livestock farming. The vibration energy harvesting method includes: S1, using an energy conversion device to sense the vibration of the at least one living object during its activity process, and converting the vibration into an electrical signal; S2, the electrical signal is stored in the energy storage device.

[0040] The vibration energy harvesting method based on the aforementioned vibration energy harvesting system 100 primarily collects the vibration energy generated during the activities of organisms 200 in livestock farming. The vibration energy generated during the daily activities of the organisms 200 is converted into reusable electrical energy by an energy conversion device 10, and then this electrical energy is accumulated and stored using an energy storage device 20. When the energy storage device 20 is electrically connected to some electrical devices 30, the energy storage device 20 can transmit the electrical energy to these devices for use. By harvesting the vibration energy generated during the activities of organisms 200 in livestock farming through this vibration energy harvesting method, energy utilization efficiency in livestock farming can be effectively improved, the use of traditional energy sources (such as oil and natural gas) can be reduced, and the sustainable development of the industry can be promoted.

[0041] Those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any appropriate changes and variations made to the above embodiments within the essential spirit and scope of this application fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A vibration energy harvesting system, characterized in that, Used to collect vibrational energy generated by at least one living object during livestock farming, including: An energy conversion device, in contact with at least one living object, for sensing vibrations of the at least one living object during activity based on the piezoelectric effect and converting the vibrations into electrical signals; and An energy storage device, electrically connected to the energy harvesting device, is used to store electrical energy based on the electrical signal.

2. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The energy conversion device includes multiple piezoelectric structures, each of which is electrically connected to the energy storage device, and each piezoelectric structure is used to independently sense the activity of the at least one living object.

3. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the piezoelectric structures is a plate-like structure used to generate the electrical signal by sensing the stepping or collision action of the at least one living object.

4. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The multiple piezoelectric structures are arranged in a matrix consisting of multiple rows and columns, with each pair of adjacent piezoelectric structures in direct contact.

5. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the piezoelectric structures is a flexible strip structure, with one end fixed to the at least one living object and the other end swinging with the movement of the at least one living object, generating the electrical signal by sensing its own swing direction and amplitude.

6. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the piezoelectric structures includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer stacked sequentially. When the piezoelectric layer is subjected to pressure, a potential difference is generated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, thereby outputting the electrical signal.

7. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The vibration energy harvesting system also includes an electrical device that is electrically connected to the energy storage device; The energy storage device is also used to transmit the stored electrical energy to the electrical device for its use.

8. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The electrical devices include automatic feeders, automatic water tanks, lighting devices, automatic roadblocks, positioning devices, or health monitoring devices.

9. The vibration energy harvesting system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage device includes a capacitor or an energy storage battery.

10. A method for harvesting vibrational energy, characterized in that, Used to collect the vibrational energy generated by at least one living object during the livestock breeding process; The vibration energy harvesting method includes: The vibrations of the at least one living object during its activity are sensed using an energy conversion device, and the vibrations are converted into electrical signals. as well as The electrical signal is stored in an energy storage device.

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