This work investigates a passive Dielectric Elastomer Generator harvesting system which uses only diodes at the generator level. The resulting voltage-clamped topology is presented and its operating principles are explained. Analytical analyses using charge-voltage diagrams form the basis for quantifying the energy output and optimizing the bus voltages. It is shown that for most cycles the energy output tends to be lower compared to active harvesting systems with dedicated converters for each generator, yet the maturity and simplicity make it a preferred solution for short-term deployment. An outlook towards industrialization applied to SBM Offshore’s S3 Wave Energy Converter highlights the advantages of the passive system: simple, robust and low-cost operation using reliable and proven components.

Date Published: 1 April 2015
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 9430, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2015, 943006 (1 April 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2084316

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9430:
Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2015
Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Editor(s)