| NSF Org: |
CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 20, 2020 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | October 19, 2020 |
| Award Number: | 2009329 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Marcello Canova
mcanova@nsf.gov (703)292-2576 CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2020 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $142,613.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $142,613.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
58 EDGEWOOD AVE NE ATLANTA GA US 30303-2921 (404)413-3570 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
25 Park Place Atlanta GA US 30303-2921 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
APPLIED MATHEMATICS, Dynamics, Control and System D |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
The rapid development of electronic devices, such as wearable and wireless sensors networks integrated into the Internet of Things, has created the need for efficient, environmentally-friendly energy generators capable of recharging batteries to prolong their lifespan. Vibrational energy harvesting, a process for scavenging energy from natural or forced vibrations such as structural movement or human activity, provides a promising means for this energy generation. This grant leverages a synergy between mathematical innovation and data-driven modeling, yielding transformative tools for advancing highly promising yet surprisingly complex systems for energy harvesting and targeted energy transfer. The research contributes to future economic and environmental impacts by supporting the widespread use of self-recharging wireless sensors, such as on bridges, buildings, and off-shore renewable energy generators. Powering wireless devices in health and structural safety monitoring systems will significantly reduce operation and maintenance costs associated with the wired technologies. The environmental contributions are therefore two-fold: direct, as a green energy device, and indirect through enabling effective diagnostics and prognostics in the renewable energy sector.
The goals of this grant address gaps and opportunities in mathematical developments and in practical applications for impact-based engineering devices and systems with non-smooth dynamics, critical for understanding the harvesting of vibrational energy. The main research objective of this grant is to develop a universal suite of mathematical methodologies for the analysis and optimized performance of deterministic and stochastic non-smooth engineering systems. These approaches are pursued with a focus on practical engineering models of vibro-impacting energy harvesting systems and nonlinear dynamic dampers, within the broad area of targeted energy transfer. Integrating novel nonlinear, stochastic, and computational approaches with experimental and real-world data both for energy harvesting and for devices that mitigate vibration will pave new pathways for analysis-based design and model validation. Synergistic connections between analysis, computations and data-driven mathematical innovation are pursued both to drive new mathematical approaches and to obtain practical predictions for device design. This grant will also serve as an excellent cross-disciplinary training ground for the involved postdocs and graduate students.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Project Outcomes
The primary objective of this research is to advance innovation through a deeper understanding of vibro-impact (VI) energy harvesting (EH), with applications to targeted energy transfer (TET) and vibration mitigation. By addressing gaps in design-based, data-informed dynamical analyses, this project has delivered significant advancements through novel methodologies, computational models, and experimental validation. Key outcomes include:
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Novel Analyses and Computational Methods
- The project developed advanced methods for forced stochastic and deterministic nonlinear non-smooth systems. These methods were applied to models of VI energy harvesters (VI-EH) to identify optimal design parameters, enhancing system performance and efficiency.
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Pioneering Framework for VI Dynamics
- A comprehensive framework was established, integrating dynamical analyses, computational tools, and experimental data from our UK collaborators. This synergistic approach facilitated the realistic design of VI-based systems that leverage non-smooth dynamics for passive or semi-active energy capture and transmission. This methodology addresses critical deficiencies in the field and supports the broader adoption of wireless technologies in everyday applications.
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Innovations in Global Dynamics and Bifurcation Analysis
- The research developed a systematic framework for analyzing the interplay between smooth and non-smooth bifurcations. This framework provides insights into transitions between efficient and inefficient energy harvesting regimes, identifies the role of asymmetries, and maps system behavior across broad parameter spaces.
- A new semi-analytical approach for global dynamics using composite maps and cobweb representations was introduced. This innovation enables computer-assisted global analysis via conservative auxiliary maps, capturing extreme bounds of the dynamics. This approach is particularly valuable for studying energetically favorable states in grazing and stochastic settings, improving our understanding of bi-stability and global behavior in non-smooth systems.
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Cross-Disciplinary Training and Broader Impacts
- The project provided excellent cross-disciplinary training for a graduate student from an underrepresented group, integrating theoretical, computational, and experimental skills.
- A dedicated project website highlights the research collaboration's activities, including publications, conference contributions, and outreach efforts.
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Dissemination and Recognition
- The group and collaborators maintained a strong presence at major conferences in applied dynamical systems and engineering, with a particular focus on non-smooth and nonlinear dynamics.
- The work on a novel global analysis for non-smooth, impacting systems was invited for publication as a SIAM News article, anticipated in 2025.
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Future Directions
- Building on these advancements, the project will pursue the development of data-driven stochastic electro-mechanical prototypes of VI-EH devices, incorporating further experimental measurements to refine models and predictions. These efforts mark a significant step toward efficient and reliable energy harvesting technologies.
Together, these outcomes represent a transformative contribution to the understanding and design of vibro-impact systems, integrating theory, experiments, and computation to drive practical innovations in energy harvesting and vibration mitigation.
Last Modified: 01/03/2025
Modified by: Igor Belykh
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