2019 conference paper

Extension of cross-well bandwidths for a bistable oscillator

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 10967.

By: A. Lee* & D. Inman*

Contributors: A. Lee* & D. Inman*

author keywords: bistable; oscillator; nonlinear dynamics; energy harvesting; piezoelectric; bandwidth; vibration
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
7. Affordable and Clean Energy (OpenAlex)
Source: ORCID
Added: August 17, 2022

Snap-through dynamics between the two potential wells of bistable oscillators are exhibited over a wide frequency range which narrows with decreasing harmonic excitation amplitudes until disappearing at a critical forcing level. However, for efficient conversion from vibrational to electrical energy in harvesting applications, the bistable oscillator must retain its favorable broadband cross-well response while the input excitation is minimized. To maintain effectiveness at low forcing levels, an actuation approach is proposed where external perturbations are used to extend the oscillator’s cross-well bandwidths by switching from co-existing low to high energy attractors. By utilizing Macro Fiber Composites (MFC) in a [0MFC /90MFC ]T bistable laminate, the application of rectangular voltage pulse signals are cycled through different response phases to continuously alter the basins of attraction until the desired cross-well orbit is sustained at each frequency. The pulse magnitude is where the system exhibits limit point behavior and the resulting snap through actuation mechanism brings consistency between perturbation trials. Numerical simulations show significant increase to the bandwidths inducing cross-well oscillations when the perturbation strategy is employed.