Movable Electrode Ambient Energy Harvesting via Capacitance Variation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for harvesting ambient energy, particularly electrostatic energy, are limited in efficiency and effectiveness, especially for low-level and low-frequency applications, as they rely on precise control of droplet deformations or continuous droplet separation, which are difficult to achieve in response to ambient vibration conditions.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an electrically conductive movable electrode that moves between two dielectric interface regions with different surface charge densities, creating varying capacitances and allowing for efficient energy accumulation and harvesting by closing conductive paths with a reference electrode, enabling energy harvesting from ambient vibrations without the need for precise control or continuous droplet production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If continuous control of charge at liquid-solid interface is used to harvest energy, then electric current can be generated, but the technique is limited to fast excitations and requires precise control or continuous droplet production which is difficult to achieve with ambient vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid electrode automatically responds to ambient vibrations by deforming and changing contact area with the dielectric interface, eliminating the need for external control mechanisms. The system uses the ambient vibration energy itself to drive the electrode movement and charge modulation, making the system self-regulating and adaptable to varying vibration conditions without requiring precise control or continuous droplet production
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid electrode's contact area with the dielectric interface dynamically changes in response to ambient vibrations, allowing the system to adapt to varying vibration frequencies and amplitudes. This dynamic behavior enables the system to harvest energy from low-frequency ambient vibrations by continuously adjusting the charge distribution at the liquid-solid interface based on the instantaneous vibration state
2Power
If deformations of water droplet or separation of droplet from polymer are used to manipulate contact area, then charge distribution can be controlled, but the resulting electric current depends on kinetic energy of droplet which limits application to fast excitations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical droplet ejection and separation mechanisms with a liquid electrode that directly responds to mechanical vibrations through contact area modulation at a fixed interface. This substitution eliminates the need for high-speed droplet manipulation while maintaining charge distribution control, enabling energy harvesting from low-frequency ambient vibrations without relying on kinetic energy from fast droplet motion
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the efficient and effective harvesting of low-level, low-frequency ambient energy, enhancing energy harvesting capabilities compared to existing technologies by leveraging differences in capacitance and surface charge densities to induce currents from ambient mechanical energy.
Implementation Method 1
harvesting electrostatic energy... utilize electrostatically induced change in the distribution of charges to harvest external energy as electric current
Implementation Method 2
providing first and second capacitances. The first capacitance differs from the second capacitance... Movement of the movable electrode in combination with the differing capacitances results in energy accumulation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses and methods for harvesting ambient energy involve an electrically conductive charge-carrying movable electrode. An apparatus includes an electrically conductive charge-carrying electrode, a first dielectric interface region, a second dielectric interface region, and at least one reference electrode. The first and second dielectric interface regions differ in surface charge density. In certain aspects, the movable electrode moves proximate and relative to the first and second dielectric interface regions in response to receipt of ambient energy, thereby providing first and second capacitances. The first capacitance differs from the second capacitance, and/or the first surface charge density differs from the second surface charge density. Movement of the movable electrode in combination with the differing capacitances and/or charge densities results in energy accumulation, thereby enabling ambient energy to be harvested efficiently and effectively.