EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS, cilt.138, sa.5, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
It is a well-known fact that, the amplitude and frequency of flow-induced vibration are related with the dynamics of the considered structure. In this study, the performance of energy harvesting structure due to flow-induced vibration is examined. In this regard, a thin beam is considered, and dynamics of the beam is changed by creating slots on it. As a result of creating slots, more energy may be harvested from piezoelectric-based energy harvesting generator in lower frequency dynamics since the slotted beam has lower stiffness and hence lower natural frequency and higher vibration amplitude in low frequencies. In the study, firstly, the fundamental natural frequency of an intact beam (beam without slot) is evaluated by finite element (FE) method and is validated by using Rayleigh-Ritz (R-R) method and experiments. Then, since flow-induced vibration is of interest, the amplitude of the experimental excitation force is determined via an inverse approach. Next, FE model for the slotted beam is constructed and natural frequencies are compared with R-R method. After the verification of the natural frequency of intact/slotted beam, the frequency response function is validated. For this purpose, R-R method combined with mode superposition and FE method are utilized. Then, for the intact beam, harvested energy power is also determined by experimental measurements under flow-induced excitation. Finally, number, position, and depth of the slots of a slotted beam are changed in the certain limits and corresponding frequency response functions are determined by using finite element method to obtain more harvested energy in lower frequency dynamics.