A biomimetics technology of electrical energy generated from current and wave power using an artificial muscle

我们开发了一种利用压电聚合物薄膜（PVDF）、硅和天然橡胶组成的柔性压电装置，从海洋动力中收集电能的方法，如潮汐、电流、波浪、破碎波和漩涡。柔性压电装置（FPED）是一种水电海洋能源转换器，旨在将海洋能源中的可再生能源转化为可用的电力。利用FPED发电的基本概念是利用海洋能量引起的流体结构相互作用，如奉承、扑动和周期性弯曲。受海洋动力动能影响而变形的FPED既能储存弹性能，又能将弹性能转化为电能。利用波浪槽和钝体水洞进行了实验。我们已经用FPED确认了波浪、电流和涡流产生的电力。开发的FPED可能是一种从海洋能量中收集电能的新技术。漂浮平台可以与海上风力涡轮机相结合，作为海洋空间的混合能源系统。

We have developed a way of harvesting electrical energy from the ocean power, e.g. tide, current, wave, breaking wave and vortex, using a flexible piezoelectric device consisting of piezo-electric polymer film (PVDF), silicon and natural rubber. The flexible piezoelectric device (FPED) is a hydro-electric ocean energy converter designed to convert renewable energy harnessed from ocean energy into usable electricity. The basic concept generating electric power using FPED is to utilize fluid structure interaction, e.g. flattering, flapping and periodic bending, caused by ocean energy. The FPED deformed by kinetic energy of the ocean power stores elastic energy and also converts it to the electric energy. We carried out some experiments using wave tank and the water tunnel with a bluff body. We have confirmed the electricity generated by wave, current and vortex using the FPED.The developed FPED could be a new technology of harvesting electrical energy from the ocean power. A floating platform attached FPED could be coupled with an offshore wind turbine as a hybrid energy system in ocean space.