As an alternative to conventional batteries and other energy scavenging techniques, this paper introduces the idea of using micro-turbines to extract energy from wind forces at the microscale level and to supply power to battery-less microsystems. Fundamental research efforts on the design, fabrication, and test of micro-turbines with blade lengths of just 160 μm are presented in this paper along with analytical models and preliminary experimental results. The proof-of-concept prototypes presented herein were fabricated using a standard polysilicon surface micro-machining silicon technology (PolyMUMPs) and could effectively transform the kinetic energy of the available wind into a torque that might drive an electric generator or directly power supply a micro-mechanical system. Since conventional batteries do not scale-down well to the microscale, wind micro-turbines have the potential for becoming a practical alternative power source for microsystems, as well as for extending the operating range of devices running on batteries.
MEMS-based Micro-scale Wind Turbines as Energy Harvesters of the Convective Airflows in Microelectronic Circuits
R. De Fazio;N. I. Giannoccaro;P. Visconti
Writing – Review & Editing
2020-01-01
Abstract
As an alternative to conventional batteries and other energy scavenging techniques, this paper introduces the idea of using micro-turbines to extract energy from wind forces at the microscale level and to supply power to battery-less microsystems. Fundamental research efforts on the design, fabrication, and test of micro-turbines with blade lengths of just 160 μm are presented in this paper along with analytical models and preliminary experimental results. The proof-of-concept prototypes presented herein were fabricated using a standard polysilicon surface micro-machining silicon technology (PolyMUMPs) and could effectively transform the kinetic energy of the available wind into a torque that might drive an electric generator or directly power supply a micro-mechanical system. Since conventional batteries do not scale-down well to the microscale, wind micro-turbines have the potential for becoming a practical alternative power source for microsystems, as well as for extending the operating range of devices running on batteries.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.