01 / TEST SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Smart-tire energy
harvesting test rig
Develop a laboratory test rig to evaluate a bistable-beam energy harvester under controlled rotation and vertical vibration.
- Research purpose
- Support smart-tire energy-harvesting research at Penn State Behrend. The planned apparatus combines a motor-driven rotating assembly with an existing LDS V409 electrodynamic shaker.
- My current contribution
- Contributed to project requirements and supporting engineering calculations. This work translates the research objective and laboratory equipment constraints into specifications for the proposed test system.
- Team deliverables to date
- A written proposal, objective tree, engineering specification table with proposed evaluation methods, and project responsibilities and schedule. These are planning deliverables; fabrication and performance testing are future milestones.
- Key design challenge
- The rig must be developed while the harvester's final dimensions and mass remain open. Rotation, shaker loading, balancing, mechanical strength, and measurement requirements must be considered together.
- Next work
- Refine the requirements against equipment capabilities, compare concepts, and develop CAD and engineering analyses. The proposal assigns me the validation and safety lead area for later risk review, staged testing, inspection, uncertainty, and handoff.
PROPOSED OPERATING TARGETS
Define the system
before building it.
| Shaft speeds | 295 / 531 / 826 rpm |
|---|---|
| Average speed tolerance | ±12 rpm |
| Reference tire | 225/65R17 |
| Drive and excitation | Rotation + vertical shaker |
| Purchase / fabrication / assembly budget | $2,000 target |
These are proposed requirements subject to design review, rather than measured capabilities. The budget excludes equipment supplied by the sponsor.
CURRENT EVIDENCE
Proposal and requirements documented.
Supporting calculations in development.
CAD, fabrication, and testing planned.
