Energy harvesting from the flow induced motion of flexible mangrove
root-type models with different flexibilities
Abstract
Red mangroves, Rhizophora mangle, in coastal areas have proven to be
resilient for many decades. Mangroves accumulate mud, peat and plant
matter through aerial roots (Pneumatophores) consist of rigid and
flexible roots oscillating in the water. The oscillation of the flexible
root not only decreases erosion but also provide a source of renewable
energy. These oscillations can essentially be harvested as electrical
power from tidal currents of the shallow coastal water in the form of
pollution free energy by converting the kinetic energy of the moving
fluid into voltage. We present an elastically mounted rigid patch of
circular cylinders as simplified flexible mangrove roots to understand
the role of flexibility on the vortex-induced vibration phenomena for
energy harvesting. We performed kinematics and PIV measurements inside a
water channel for the cylinders limited to a transverse oscillation
inside a water tunnel at constant velocities . We investigate the effect
of Reynolds number, mass ratio, damping ratio, and natural frequency of
the system on the range of the achievable voltage. Higher flexibility
resulted in increasing the frequency of oscillations with a reduction in
the reduced velocity. This bio-inspired design has potentials for future
electricity generations, as tidal currents are more predictable than
wind energy and solar power as well as environmentally friendly due to
minimal alterations to ecosystems and marine life.