Self-Powered SHM Sensor Node With Auxetic Kirigami Piezo Patch
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current structural health monitoring (SHM) systems for aircraft face challenges with energy harvesting, requiring significant maintenance due to reliance on batteries and cabling, which adds weight and complexity, limiting their effectiveness in limited-access areas.
Innovation Solution
The integration of meta-substrate-based piezoelectric transducers that combine kirigami and auxetic metamaterials to enhance energy harvesting and sensitivity, allowing for self-powered sensor nodes that can efficiently convert vibrational energy into electrical power, reducing the need for batteries and cabling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If batteries and power cables are used to supply energy to sensor nodes, then the sensor nodes can operate continuously, but the system weight increases and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor node harvests its own energy from ambient vibrations through piezoelectric transducers, eliminating the need for external batteries or power cables. The piezoelectric element converts mechanical vibrations from the aircraft structure directly into electrical energy to power the sensor node's operations, making the system self-sufficient and reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrochemical energy storage system (batteries) and electrical power transmission system (cables) with a mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion system using piezoelectric transducers. This substitution leverages the ambient mechanical vibrations already present in the aircraft structure to generate the required electrical power.
2Use of energy by moving object
If batteries are used to power sensor nodes, then continuous operation is achieved, but maintenance requirements increase due to battery replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor node harvests its own energy from ambient vibrations through piezoelectric transducers, eliminating the need for external batteries or power cables. The piezoelectric element converts mechanical vibrations from the aircraft structure directly into electrical energy to power the sensor node's operations, making the system self-sufficient and reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a batteryless design where energy is continuously harvested from the environment, replacing the need for finite-life batteries that require periodic replacement. This approach treats the energy supply as an ongoing harvesting process rather than a consumable resource, eliminating maintenance associated with battery replacement.
3Ease of operation
If data cables and power cables are routed to sensor nodes in limited-access areas, then power and data transmission are enabled, but installation complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the power cable and data cable from the sensor node system by implementing wireless power transfer and wireless communication. The sensor node receives power inductively through a coil and transmits data wirelessly, eliminating the need for physical cable routing to limited-access areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable-based power and data transmission system with electromagnetic field-based wireless transmission. Power is transferred inductively through electromagnetic coupling between coils, and data is transmitted wirelessly, eliminating the need for physical cable installation in difficult-to-reach locations.
4Power
If conventional piezoelectric transducers are used for energy harvesting, then some power is generated, but the power output is insufficient for reliable sensor operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining piezoelectric material with a metamaterial substrate featuring auxetic (negative Poisson's ratio) properties. This composite design amplifies the strain experienced by the piezoelectric element during vibration, significantly increasing the generated electrical power output and ensuring reliable operation of the sensor node.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the substrate by incorporating auxetic geometry with negative Poisson's ratio, which causes the material to expand laterally when stretched. This parameter change amplifies the deformation of the piezoelectric element, increasing the strain-induced electrical charge generation and thereby boosting power output.
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 solution enables increased power output, extended monitoring capabilities, and reduced maintenance needs, allowing for more extensive data gathering and improved decision-making speed in structural health monitoring applications.
Implementation Method 1
The piezoelectric element converts the vibration energy to electric current
Implementation Method 2
The meta-substrate combines two metamaterial-based topologies: kirigami and auxetic. The meta-substrate adds the negative Poisson's ratio capability to the kirigami substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A self-powered sensor node includes a printed wiring board connected to a patch. The printed wiring board includes a microcontroller, a transceiver, an antenna, and a power management module connected to supply electric power to the microcontroller. The patch comprises a metamaterial substrate and a piezoelectric element adhered to the metamaterial substrate. The piezoelectric element is connected to the power management module and to the microcontroller. The power management module is configured to store electric power received from the piezoelectric element. The microcontroller is configured to selectively convert electrical signals received from the piezoelectric element into sensor data and then command the transceiver to transmit the sensor data via the antenna. The metamaterial substrate has an auxetic kirigami honeycomb structure.