Novel multimodal shunt circuit architecture for simultaneous subsonic flutter control and energy scavenging

This paper discusses a new multimodal shunt circuit architecture for simultaneous subsonic flutter control and energy scavenging for aerospace, mechanical, etc. The system includes a finite element electromechanical modeling approach to investigate a multi-layer composite plate with an embedded piezoelectric. We construct a resonant shunt circuit in parallel, utilizing a parallel shunt circuit with two modes operating in parallel to dampen unwanted vibrations. This architecture allows us to extract energy from the plate and damp unwanted vibrations, which ideally relates to subsonic flutter. The finite element model accounts for the structural dynamics of the plate and the piezoelectric dynamics, but also allows us to tune the energy dissipation and scavenging process. The resonant shunt circuit is tuned to specific frequencies and therefore aids the dissipation of energy from the vibration modes and dampens any unwanted oscillation. The study provides a comprehensive description of tuning the shunt circuit and describes the performance of the system under varying flow conditions. To describe how the piezoelectric plate will be subjected to airflow, a diagram was included that provides a good opportunity to visualize part of this system's mechanics. As shown, the presented results indicate that this implementable structure represents innovative advancements in flutter control and energy harvesting and is an exciting opportunity for further work on adaptive structures within aerospace, automotive, and energy-efficient industries.