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Harvesting Water Wave Energy by Triboelectric Nanogenerators

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Handbook of Triboelectric Nanogenerators

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Abstract

Water wave energy is a promising clean energy source widely distributed with tremendous reserves, yet great technological challenges still hinder its exploitation. As an emerging technology for mechanical energy harvesting, the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) shows great potential in effectively harvesting the wave energy, which is discussed in this chapter. Typical TENG unit structures and corresponding networks are introduced in detail. The unit design mainly focuses on rolling ball structure, multilayer structure, spring-oscillator structure, pendulum structure, grating structure, and liquid-solid contact structure, which realize improved output density and response to low-frequency wave agitations. A maximum average power density of 7.3 W m−3 and peak power density of 30.24 W m−3 are achieved in water waves. Networking strategies of coupled networks and self-assembly networks are also presented, showing cooperative effects between units and autonomous capabilities, which allow improved performance and adaptability in ocean environment. To further enhance the performance of the device, the charge pumping strategy is designed to enhance the confined charge density, which first realizes a record of 1.02 mC m−2 in ambient conditions and provides a new paradigm to improve the output of the TENG. The rotary charge pumping extends the strategy from contact-separation mode to sliding and rotary mode, with high average power density of 1.66 kW m−3. The charge shuttling mechanism develops a new mode for confining charges, based on two quasi-symmetrical conduction domains that can double the charge output. The charge supplement method demonstrates an effective and simple approach to obtain stable high voltage. The related power management and applications of the TENGs for wave energy harvesting are also briefly introduced. At last, some perspectives on future development of this research direction are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Liang Xu

Authors
  1. Liang Xu
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Correspondence to Liang Xu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Zhong Lin Wang

  2. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Ya Yang

  3. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Junyi Zhai

  4. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Jie Wang

Section Editor information

  1. Director and Chief Scientist, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Zhong Lin Wang

  2. Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Junyi Zhai

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Xu, L. (2023). Harvesting Water Wave Energy by Triboelectric Nanogenerators. In: Wang, Z.L., Yang, Y., Zhai, J., Wang, J. (eds) Handbook of Triboelectric Nanogenerators. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28111-2_31

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