Development of Magnetostrictive Energy Harvesting of Mechanical Vibration Energy Navy STTR FY2010.A Sol No.: Navy STTR FY2010.A Topic No.: N10A-T020 Topic Title: Development of Magnetostrictive Energy Harvesting of Mechanical Vibration Energy Proposal No.: N10A-020-0361 Firm: Infoscitex Corporation 303 Bear Hill Road Waltham, Massachusetts 02451-1016 Contact: James Goldie Phone: (781) 890-1338 Web Site: www.infoscitex.com Abstract: The Navy seeks devices that can provide power to maintain charge in batteries for shipboard sensors. The transduction materials proposed for most energy harvesting devices under development are either too brittle to endure significant loading or are too compliant to extract significant energy from the small amplitude vibrations present on ships. Terfenol-D (in a composite form) and Galfenol each provide a rugged magnetostrictive transduction material that is a good mechanical impedance match with shipboard structures, and can, therefore, be used in energy harvesting devices to extract significant power from the vibration present. Broadband magnetostrictive harvesters can be included in the mount of rotating machines (e.g., pumps, motors, shafts, etc.) or as part of reaction mass devices. Infoscitex has assembled a distinguished team to address this proposal. In conjunction with our university research partner, we will develop the methodologies for arriving at optimum magnetostrictive harvester designs, identify candidate shipboard sources of vibration, define harvester designs and their anticipated performance, and conduct proof-of-concept prototype construction and test to both verify our models and demonstrate magnetostrive-based energy harvesting. Benefits: An energy harvester employing a rugged, stiff transducer will be able to extract power from broadband vibration present aboard ships. More generally, the use of magnetostrictive energy harvesters may facilitate the replacement of either replaceable batteries or lengthy wires with close proximity energy harvesting. There is an emerging market for energy harvesting devices, affiliated with the growth of remote wireless sensors, where either a source of electrical power is not available or it is impractical to make a wired connection from a power source to the sensor. The proposed device expands this market to higher power energy harvesting in those situation where noisy machinery is present. Return