M22b

Tuning Your Volture Energy Harvester

Vibration frequency can vary from application to application. An industrial motor may have a 120 Hz vibration whereas a helicopter may have a 30 Hz vibration. For the Volture™ to be most effective, it should be tuned to the vibrating structure from which it is harvesting.

The simplest and easiest means to tune the Volture is to use a proof mass or tip mass. A tip mass has the effect of driving down the natural frequency of the Volture™. Midé offers for sale thin tungsten tip masses that are machined to fit in an ultra low profile onto Midé’s Volture™ products. The products are made from tungsten to ensure the most possible mass in the smallest volume. The mass can be attached to the Volture™ harvesters using adhesive for permanent installations, or bee’s wax for prototype installations. Obtaining authority over the natural frequency of the Volture™ for a given tip mass can be achieved by translating the tungsten tip mass along the length of the Volture™ until the appropriate tuning is reached.