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Energy Harvesting from Railway-Induced Vibrations Using Piezoelectric Nanogrid Systems
Author(s)
Songsukthawan, Panapong
Bunjongjit, Sulee
Date Issued
January 1, 2025
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
This paper investigates the feasibility of piezoelectric nanogrid systems designed to harvest mechanical energy from vibrations induced by passing trains. Two membrane-based piezoelectric module mounting configurations - sleeper-mounted at a 5 cm offset from the rail, and recessed side-mounted - were rigorously analyzed using Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations for structural durability and energy-harvesting performance. Realistic excitation waveforms, synthesized from FEM modal characteristics combined with actual field measurement data, were employed in detailed MATLAB/Simulink electrical simulations. Results demonstrated a superior electrical current output from the side-mounted configuration (2.2839 A) compared to the sleeper-mounted arrangement (1.30195 A). A practical assessment revealed that only 9 side-mounted or 16 sleeper-mounted modules are necessary to effectively charge a standard 12V 20Ah LiFePO4 battery. Moreover, daily accumulated energy of approximately 68-70 Wh could reliably power essential low-power devices at railway stations, confirming the proposed piezoelectric nanogrid system's viability as a robust, efficient, and scalable energy-harvesting solution.
Citation
Conference Record IAS Annual Meeting IEEE Industry Applications Society, 2025