Design of transducers based on piezoelectric plates by using the topology optimization method.

Author(s)

Paulo Henrique Nakasone

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP/BC)
• Defense date: 2011-01-10

Examining board members

Emílio Carlos Nelli Silva; Sérgio Frascino Müller de Almeida; Flávio Buiochi; Jun Sérgio Ono Fonseca; Marcelo Areias Trindade

• Advisor: Emílio Carlos Nelli Silva

Abstract

Sensors and actuators based on piezoelectric plates have shown increasing demand in the field of the so called Smart Structures, including the development of actuators for cooling and fluid pumping applications, transducers for novel energy harvesting devices, and many other application with quasi -static and dynamic requirements. This thesis proposes the development of a Topology Optimization (TO) formulation to design piezoelectric transducers by distributing piezoelectric material over a metallic plate in order to achieve a desired quasi -static and dynamic behavior with maximization of displacements or output voltages, specified vibration frequencies and modes, and maximization of the Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient (EMCC). The Topology Optimization Method (TOM) is a powerful structural optimization technique which combines the Finite Element Method (FEM) with optimization algorithms and aims at distributing material over a design domain to accomplish with previously set objectives. The finite element employs a piezoelectric plate formulation capable of representing both direct and converse piezoelectric effects. It is based on the MITC (Mixed Interpolation of Tensorial Components) formulation, which is reliable, efficient and avoids the shear locking problem. The topology optimization formulation is based on the PEMAP-P model (Piezoelectric Material with Penalization and Polarization) combined with the RAMP model (Rational Approximation of Material Properties), where the design variables are the pseudo-densities that describe the amount of piezoelectric material at each finite element. Multiobjective functions are defined for the quasi -static and dynamic optimization problems. While the former aims at maximizing displacements or output voltages and avoiding resonance frequencies near its working range, the latter aims at designing the vibration mode, controlling the resonance frequency and maximizing the EMCC of the transducer. This text presents the complete design cycle for transducers based on piezoelectric plates designed by using the TOM and shows the applied methodology, optimization problem formulation, numerical implementation, achieved computational results, and the assembly and characterization of optimized piezoelectric transducers for experimental validation of the TO results. (AU)