Design of a kinematic vibration energy harvester for a smart bearing with piezoelectric/magnetic coupling

A new configuration of vibration energy harvester is proposed, to equip a smart bearing with a power supply. The case of rolling mill is analyzed, to allow the identification of some design issues, related to the proposed hybrid energy scavenger. The energy conversion is performed by a contactless plucking of a permanent magnet upon the tip mass of a flexible structure, with surface- bonded piezoelectric layers. Since the system is embedded into a mechanical bearing, the dynamic excitation is applied on the vibrating structure, constrained to its fixed ring, by a permanent magnet lying on the rotating ring surface.