Piezoelectric Conversion of Thermomagnetic Energy from Waste Heat

Abstract:
We present a novel miniature-scale piezoelectric thermomagnetic (TM) generator for conversion of low temperature (<200deg C) waste heat into electricity. The generator device utilizes heat-induced resonant oscillation of a cantilever, which is converted into electricity using the piezoelectric effect. For a heat source temperature of 105 °C, we achieve a net usable power output of 4.25 mW/m² per device footprint at an output voltage of 2 V DC. This work enables potential use in industrial and civil environments with abundant low-temperature heat reservoirs providing a sustainable future power source for sensors, IoT systems, and other low-power applications.