Wearable Human Motion and Heat Energy Harvesting System with Power Management
2018
Juris Blūms, Ilgvars Gorņevs, Gaļina Terļecka, Vilnis Jurķāns, Ausma Viļumsone

A combined human motion and heat energy harvesting system is under investigation. Main parts of the developed human motion energy harvester are flat, spiral-shaped inductors. Voltage pulses in such flat inductors can be induced during the motion of a permanent magnet along its surface. Due to the flat structure, inductors can be completely integrated into the parts of the clothes and it is not necessary to allocate extra place for movement of the magnet as in usual electromagnetic harvesters. Prototypes of the clothing with integrated proposed electromagnetic human motion energy harvester are created and tested. Voltage of generated impulses is shown to be high enough to be effectively rectified with commercially available diodes and ready to be stored, however efficiency depends on properties of controlling circuit. In order to increase the sustainability of the energy source and its stability, an option for combining a motion energy harvester with a human body heat energy harvester is also considered. Thermoelectric generator that harvests electricity from waste heat of human body is presented, generated voltage and power is compared at different activity levels and ambient temperatures. Power generated with thermoelectric generator located on lower leg reached up to 35 mW with peak voltages reaching 2V at certain conditions. A possible power management set-up and its efficiency is discussed.


Keywords
human motion energy harvesting, smart apparel, flat inductors, thermoelectric generators, microwatt power management
Hyperlink
http://mts.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/wearable-human-motion-and-heat-energy-harvesting-system-with-power-management

Blūms, J., Gorņevs, I., Terļecka, G., Jurķāns, V., Viļumsone, A. Wearable Human Motion and Heat Energy Harvesting System with Power Management. In: Energy Harvesting. R.Ochieng Manyala ed. England: INTECHOPEN LIMITED, Registered in England and Wales, 2018. pp.21-40. ISBN 978-953-51-5992-6.

Publication language
English (en)
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