通过收集环境中的热能和机械能提高混合能量收集器的电效率

Abstract The generation of electricity by hybrid energy harvesting devices would be a desirable approach to improve power efficiencies due to their ability to utilize multiple energy sources simultaneously. However, to achieve the improved efficiency from the hybrid device, the power outputs of two individual devices need to be comparable. Here, a single hybrid device has been fabricated, which combines triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and thermoelectric generator (TEG) and is capable of harvesting both thermal and mechanical energy, simultaneously. The TEG part of the hybrid device generates a maximum power density of ∼ 35 μW/cm 2 at a ΔT of ∼ 12.5 K, whereas the TENG part of the hybrid device also separately generated a maximum power density of ∼ 32 μW/cm 2 . The comparable power density of the thermoelectric and triboelectric devices makes the hybrid device more efficient. The output power density of the individual TENG and TEG devices shows significantly higher performances as compared to the outputs reported in previous works. The individual performances of the TENG and TEGs further simulated using COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS 5.5 and compared with the experimental results. The hybrid device charged the capacitor (1 μF, 63 V) up to a voltage of 13 V at a rate of 163 mV/sec in 80 sec, which is about 37 % and 2067 % higher as compared to the individual performance of the TENG and TEG, respectively. The practical application of the hybrid device is demonstrated by powering a digital calculator. Thus, the use of a present hybrid device having a comparable individual power density can be used to harness the ambient energy.