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-020-0412 Firm: Etrema Products, Inc. 2500 N. Loop Drive Ames, Iowa 50010 Contact: Eric Summers Phone: (515) 296-8030 Web Site: www.etrema.com Abstract: Energy harvesting devices utilizing magnetostrictive materials are a logical choice for harvesting the high impedance (high force, low displacement) vibrations found aboard Navy ships. Force-based devices, enabled by magnetostrictive materials, can harvest energy over an extremely large bandwidth, approximately �35 and �70 Hz currently, making them more desirable in situations aboard Navy ships were transient vibration conditions created by varying ship speeds is present. This broader bandwidth also means easier installation of the devices without the need for exact placement on the vibration source and eliminating tuning requirements typical of the displacement based devices. The robustness and formability that Galfenol alloys exhibit allow 1-dimensional (1D), 2-dimensional (2D), and 3-dimensional (3D) energy harvesting devices to be developed and optimized for the identified need and vibration coupling scheme. A 1D Galfenol device could consist of wire(s) bundled together to form an energy harvesting cable that could be wrapped around a vibrating column; a 2D Galfenol device could consist of a single Galfenol sheet attached to a vibrating panel; and a 3D Galfenol device could consist of structural support on-which the vibration source is mounted. The proposed work will investigate 1D and 2D Galfenol energy harvesting devices in Navy ship environments. Benefits: Wireless-networked sensors have long held promise for decreased down-time and reduced life-cycle costs by allowing automated monitoring of essential equipment. A critical obstacle to widespread adoption is the means of powering the network. Batteries are not an optimal solution as they require manual replacement, defeating cost-reduction benefits. Powering the sensors by wire limits sensor location and does not achieve the level of monitoring needed. The development of an energy harvester that can be directly integrated into a wireless sensor is the critical disruptive technology that will open up the multi-billion dollar wireless sensor condition-based monitoring market for both DoD and worldwide commercial applications. The solution created by the proposed work will benefit all branches of the military. While the specific scope addresses a need by the Navy, the other services have similar needs for wireless sensor networks. The Navy benefits by using the energy-harvester powered wireless sensors for use aboard surface ships where a wired network would add unnecessary weight and expensive ship alterations. Assuming a network of 250 sensors per vessel and 275 surface combatants alone, this one application represents a potential market of $35 million and does not include reserve and auxiliary vessels. The commercial applications for the proposed solution are considerable. Every industrial plant that wishes to implement a wireless sensor CBM approach would find the completed solution easy to install and operate as it would not require substantial installation costs. Assuming an average of $10,000 of sensors per plant, the US market alone would be $600-900 Million. Return