Neetu KUMARI : "Contribution to the design and development of hybrid Thermal-Vibrational Piezoelectric Energy Harvester

PhD  Neetu KUMARI : "Contribution to the design and development of hybrid Thermal-Vibrational Piezoelectric Energy Harvester"

Abstract : There are several ambient energies in our surroundings, most of which could be “lost” if not scavenged or exploited. Among them, vibrational energy and thermal energy are two of the most widespread ones as their sources are everywhere: engines in cars, walking persons, solar rays, and so on. While scavenging vibrational and thermal energies individually and transforming them into electrical ones have raised many works in the literature, harvesting them simultaneously and with the same single device has provided very few results.
Within the European ITN-ENHANCE project (Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters for Self-Powered Automotive Sensors: from Advanced Lead-Free Materials to Smart Systems), this thesis focuses on the study and development of energy harvesting devices able to simultaneously or individually capture ambient vibrational and thermal energies and converting them into electrical one by using the same harvester device and element. Called hybrid thermal vibrational energy harvesters, the devices are based on Lithium Niobate piezoelectric materials allowing them to be lead-free and non-toxic. Devoted to power autonomous sensors in vehicles, the challenges faced include the low vibrational frequency as well as the low amplitude and slow temperature fluctuations. The thesis works include studying and developing several designs of hybrid energy harvesters, their modeling, simulation, fabrication, and experimental results.

Jury Composition : 

Ausrine BARTASYTE, PR2, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, PhD Director

Thibaut RAHARIJAONA, Full professor, ENIM-Université de Lorraine, Reporter

Frédéric GIRAUD, Associate Professor, Université de Lille, Reporter

Skandar BASROUR, Full professor, Université Grenoble-Alpes, Reviewer

Micky RAKOTONDRABE, Full professor, ENIT-INPT, PhD Co-Director

Localization : ENSMM 26 Rue de l'Épitaphe 25000 BESANCON - salle Amphithéâtre Jules Haag