Nonlinear Dynamics of Bistable Piezoelectric Harvester with Symmetric Elastic Constraints

A nonlinear vibro-impact piezoelectric energy harvesting system is studied in the present study. The harvesting system comprises a bistable inverted cantilever beam with a tip mass impacting a rigid frame. The governing equations of the non-smooth system are developed using Lagrange’s method. The dynamics and harvesting performance are studied using numerical simulations. The results show that the proposed vibro-impact model for energy harvesters has the potential to harvest from ambient vibrations more efficiently as compared to conventional linear piezoelectric energy harvesters.