Stephen C. Conlon

Broadband energy harvesting using acoustic black hole structural tailoring

This paper explores the concept of an acoustic black hole (ABH) as a main design framework for performing dynamic structural tailoring of mechanical systems for vibration energy harvesting applications. The ABH is an integral feature embedded in the host structure that allows for a smooth reduction of the phase velocity, theoretically approaching zero, while minimizing the reflected energy. This mechanism results in structural areas with high energy density that can be effectively exploited to develop enhanced vibration-based energy harvesting. Fully coupled electro-mechanical models of an ABH tapered structure with surface mounted piezo-transducers are developed to numerically simulate the response of the system to both steady state and transient excitations. The design performances are numerically evaluated using structural intensity data as well as the instantaneous voltage/power and energy output produced by the piezo-transducer network. Results show that the dynamically tailored structural design enables a drastic increase in the harvested energy as compared to traditional structures, both under steady state and transient excitation conditions.

Structural damage identification in plates via nonlinear structural intensity maps.

A nonlinear structural intensity concept is presented as an approach for the identification of defects displaying nonlinear vibration behavior. The nonlinear structural dynamic response exhibited by a riveted joint with loosened fasteners connecting a stiffener with a flat panel is investigated. The excitation, generating elastic waves with dominant bending components, triggers the nonlinear contact between the plate and the stiffener inducing a dynamic response rich with nonlinear harmonics. Experimental structural intensity maps are evaluated at the super-harmonic frequencies. This technique provides an experimental approach for the characterization and two dimensional visualization of nonlinear types of defects.

An experimental study of vibration based energy harvesting in dynamically tailored structures with embedded acoustic black holes

In this paper, we present an experimental investigation on the energy harvesting performance of dynamically tailored structures based on the concept of embedded acoustic black holes (ABHs). Embedded ABHs allow tailoring the wave propagation characteristics of the host structure creating structural areas with extreme levels of energy density. Experiments are conducted on a tapered plate-like aluminum structure with multiple embedded ABH features. The dynamic response of the structure is tested via laser vibrometry in order to confirm the vibration localization and the passive wavelength sweep characteristic of ABH embedded tapers. Vibrational energy is extracted from the host structure and converted into electrical energy by using ceramic piezoelectric discs bonded on the ABHs and shunted on an external electric circuit. The energy harvesting performance is investigated both under steady state and transient excitation. The experimental results confirm that the dynamic tailoring produces a drastic increase in the harvested energy independently from the nature of the excitation input.

A normalized wave number variation parameter for acoustic black hole design

In recent years, the concept of the Acoustic Black Hole has been developed as an efficient passive, lightweight absorber of bending waves in plates and beams. Theory predicts greater absorption for a higher thickness taper power. However, a higher taper power also increases the violation of an underlying theory smoothness assumption. This paper explores the effects of high taper power on the reflection coefficient and spatial change in wave number and discusses the normalized wave number variation as a spatial design parameter for performance, assessment, and optimization.

Nonlinear structural surface intensity: An application of contact acoustic nonlinearity to power flow based damage detection

The concept of structural surface intensity is extended to the nonlinear domain introducing a physical quantity denominated nonlinear structural surface intensity (NSSI). This quantity is formulated for mechanical systems whose dynamic response is governed by nonlinear harmonic frequencies due to contact nonlinearities. A specific experiment simulating a “loose joint” type of damage in a stiffened bolted aluminum panel was designed to validate the NSSI formulation. Damage was introduced in the form of loose bolts characterized by a contact nonlinear response. The nonlinear response resulted from separation and impact at closure of the joined structures due to active interrogation by an external dynamic force. The results prove that NSSI is a monotonic function of the damage size.

Investigation of contact acoustic nonlinearities on metal and composite airframe structures via intensity based health monitoring

Nonlinear structural intensity (NSI) and nonlinear structural surface intensity (NSSI) based damage detection techniques were improved and extended to metal and composite airframe structures. In this study, the measurement of NSI maps at sub-harmonic frequencies was completed to provide enhanced understanding of the energy flow characteristics associated with the damage induced contact acoustic nonlinearity mechanism. Important results include NSI source localization visualization at ultra-subharmonic (nf/2) frequencies, and damage detection results utilizing structural surface intensity in the nonlinear domain. A detection metric relying on modulated wave spectroscopy was developed and implemented using the NSSI feature. The data fusion of the intensity formulation provided a distinct advantage, as both the single interrogation frequency NSSI and its modulated wave extension (NSSI-MW) exhibited considerably higher sensitivities to damage than using single-sensor (strain or acceleration) nonlinear detection metrics. The active intensity based techniques were also extended to composite materials, and results show both NSSI and NSSI-MW can be used to detect damage in the bond line of an integrally stiffened composite plate structure with high sensitivity. Initial damage detection measurements made on an OH-58 tailboom (Penn State Applied Research Laboratory, State College, PA) indicate the techniques can be transitioned to complex airframe structures achieving high detection sensitivities with minimal sensors and actuators.

Airframe structural damage detection: A non-linear structural surface intensity based technique

The non-linear structural surface intensity (NSSI) based damage detection technique is extended to airframe applications. The selected test structure is an upper cabin airframe section from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter (Sikorsky Aircraft, Stratford, CT). Structural damage is simulated through an impact resonator device, designed to simulate the induced vibration effects typical of non-linear behaving damage. An experimental study is conducted to prove the applicability of NSSI on complex mechanical systems as well as to evaluate the minimum sensor and actuator requirements. The NSSI technique is shown to have high damage detection sensitivity, covering an extended substructure with a single sensing location.

Enhanced vibration based energy harvesting using embedded acoustic black holes

In this paper, we investigate the use of dynamic structural tailoring via the concept of an Acoustic Black Hole (ABH) to enhance the performance of piezoelectric based energy harvesting from operational mechanical vibrations. The ABH is a variable thickness structural feature that can be embedded in the host structure allowing a smooth reduction of the phase velocity while minimizing the amplitude of reflected waves. The ABH thickness variation is typically designed according to power-law profiles. As a propagating wave enters the ABH, it is progressively slowed down while its wavelength is compressed. This effect results in structural areas with high energy density that can be exploited effectively for energy harvesting. The potential of ABH for energy harvesting is shown via a numerical study based on fully coupled finite element electromechanical models of an ABH tapered plate with surface mounted piezo-transducers. The performances of the novel design are evaluated by direct comparison with a non-tapered structure in terms of energy ratios and attenuation indices. Results show that the tailored structural design allows a drastic increase in the harvested energy both for steady state and transient excitation. Performance dependencies of key design parameters are also investigated.

Wavenumber transform analysis for acoustic black hole design

Acoustic black holes (ABHs) are effective, passive, lightweight vibration absorbers that have been developed and shown to effectively reduce the structural vibration and radiated sound of beam and plate structures. ABHs employ a local thickness change that reduces the speed of bending waves and increases the transverse vibration amplitude. The vibrational energy can then be effectively focused and dissipated by material losses or through conventional viscoelastic damping treatments. In this work, the measured vibratory response of embedded ABH plates was transformed into the wavenumber domain in order to investigate the use of wavenumber analysis for characterizing, designing, and optimizing practical ABH systems. The results showed that wavenumber transform analysis can be used to simultaneously visualize multiple aspects of ABH performance including changes in bending wave speed, transverse vibration amplitude, and energy dissipation. The analysis was also used to investigate the structural acoustic coupling of the ABH system and determine the radiation efficiency of the embedded ABH plates compared to a uniform plate. The results demonstrated that the ABH effect results in acoustic decoupling as well as vibration reduction. The wavenumber transform based methods and results will be useful for implementing ABHs into real world structures.

Investigation of boundary-taper reflection for acoustic black hole design

In recent years the concept of the acoustic black hole (ABH) has been developed as an efficient, passive, lightweight absorber of bending waves in beams and plates. ABHs are implemented into structures by introducing a smoothly decreasing local change in the thickness of a beam or plate according to a power law function. By having the beam or plate thickness decrease to zero the bending wave speed theoretically goes to zero and the waves never reflect back from the thin edge; thus they are “absorbed.” ABH theory does not account for impedance mismatches between a uniform beam, and impedance mismatches within the ABH taper, which can cause bending waves to reflect off of an ABH, hindering performance. In this study numerical models were used to investigate the reflection of bending waves from ABHs attached to uniform beams with and without anechoic terminations. It was shown that the reflection of bending waves trended similarly to the normalized wavenumber variation, a parameter that determines whether or not fundamental theoretical assumptions are valid. The results will be useful for the design, characterization and optimization of vibration attenuation performance of acoustic black holes.