Design And Parameter Optimization Of Dielectric Elastomer Roll Generator

Dielectric elastomers have the characteristics of super deformation,high energy density,high efficiency,short response time and high fatigue life.It can be applied in renewable energy power generation,which can be used to construct various types of dielectric elastomers generator with low cost.In this paper,a special structure of DEG was studied,namely DE roll generator.The main contents and conclusions were summarized as follows:(1)The structure,the characteristics and the factors affecting performance of the DE roll generator were studied.A simple dielectric elastomer roll generator prototype was designed with the study of dielectric elastomer roll actuator.It used a push rod motor to provide external force stretching.The factors affecting the power generation parameters were studied,including flexible electrode material,coating area of electrode,prestretch,spring coefficients,fixed block size.The characteristics of the DE roll generator have two points:One is that the DE roll generator uses pure shear tension method,and the other is to realize the prestretch of the DE film by the spring in its own structure.(2)Based on the study of the factors affecting the power generation performance of DE roll generator,the electrode materials were studied.Firstly,the performance comparison of conductive paste,carbon powder electrode,conductive rubber,carbon nanotube,hydrogel and graphene was carried out.After that,the coating mode and coating standard of the flexible electrode materials were studied,including the pretension rate and the coating area.The flexible electrode materials and the coating parameters suitable for the DE roll generator were obtained.The best flexible electrode material and electrode coating parameters were obtained.(3)The key structural parameters of DE roll generator were studied.There are two key structural parameters:one is the spring coefficient,and two is the size of the fixed block.The experimental study of the relationship between the spring coefficient and the prestretch rate of DE membrane was carried out,and the power generation model of DE roll generator and the optimization model of spring coefficient were established.The optimization model was established in Matlab/Simulink,and the relationship between spring coefficient and the power generation performance of DE roll generator was studied.The experimental platform of the DE roll generator was designed.Experimental verification is carried out,according to the range of parameters.The optimum spring coefficient and the size of the fixed block were determined.(4)The contrast test on power generation performance of DE roll generator and DE uniaxial tension generator was studied.Through the design of different generator test platform,the basic performance of DE roll generator was tested.The result was compared with the DE uniaxial tension generator.The test results show that the power generation effect of DE roll generator was superior to DE uniaxial tension generator.