Triboelectric nanogenerator integrated in a turbine using a radial rotating system and a sandwich structure

This paper proposes a radial rotating system and sandwich structure triboelectric nanogenerator (RS-TENG) to integrate triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) on the blades of a rotating turbine for the first time. The TENG is a future-oriented technology for harvesting mechanical energy from the environment and transforming the energy into electrical power. However, it is still necessary to study practical structures that can be applied to actual environments outside of the laboratory. The proposed RS-TENG structure can generate and combine multi-phase alternating powers to generate an enhanced constant output power. The radial rotating system simultaneously operates six TENGs of which each TENG generates a signal with a phase difference of 60 degrees, at one rotation. These signals are combined after the rectifiers and a slip ring to provide the advantage of multiple phases. In the sandwich structure, two TENGs are symmetrically positioned on the sliding plate and operate at the same time. This facilitates the efficient use of the limited area and approximately doubles the output voltage of the RS-TENG. On the basis of several analyses, it was revealed that the RS-TENG has a power density value of 30.27 mW/m², lighting up 245 LEDs without fluctuations. Ultimately, the RS-TENG represents a structure that can be integrated into turbines and is thus capable of expanding the applicability of TENGs.