Demonstration of Magnetostrictive Materials for Self-Powered Monitoring of Rail Vehicle Suspension Components
| University | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) |
| Principal Investigators | Heinrich Foltz, Ph. D., P.E., Electrical Engineering (PI) Constantine Tarawneh, Ph. D., Mechanical Engineering (Co-PI) Jazmin Ley, M.S., Mechanical Engineering (Co-PI) |
| PI Contact Information | Electrical Engineering ENGR 3.214B Dept. (956) 665-2609 Office (956) 665-5016 heinrich.foltz@utrgv.edu |
| Funding Source(s) and Amounts Provided (by each agency or organization) | Federal Funds (USDOT UTC Program): $63,417 Cost Share Funds (UTRGV): $33,423 |
| Total Project Cost | $96,840 |
| Agency ID or Contract Number | DTRT13-G-UTC59 |
| Start and End Dates | January 2015 — May 2017 |
| Brief Description of Research Project | The purpose of the proposed project is to demonstrate the use of magneto-strictive materials for self-powered sensors in railroad suspension components. Results obtained in a previously funded University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) project have shown that Terfenol-D has the capability to harvest significant amounts of energy (on the order of 100 mW/cm3) under conditions typical of those found in railcar bearing adapters, and is also capable of acting as a real time load sensor. Both applications use the same mounting fixture and static magnetic field bias, indicating that a single Terfenol-D core could simultaneously provide load sensing as well as sufficient power generation to supply its own support electronics, multiple additional sensors, and a low-power RF transceiver for wireless monitoring. The primary deliverable for this project will be an integrated, self-powered prototype comprising (a) a magnetostrictive core biased and packaged appropriately for mounting in or on a railroad bearing adapter, (b) support electronics simultaneously extracting power and providing calibrated load measurement, and (c) a basic wireless transceiver. The prototype will be tested in the UTCRS laboratory on a railroad bearing tester that closely simulates field service operating conditions. |
| Keywords | magneto-strictive materials, energy harvesting, self-powered sensors, Terfenol-D, real time load sensor, power generation, wireless transceiver |
| Describe Implementation of Research Outcomes (or why not implemented) Place Any Photos Here | Pending Project Completion. |
| Impacts/Benefits of Implementation (actual, not anticipated) | Pending Project Completion. |
| Report | http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/mechanical/energy-harvesting-applications.pdf |
| Project Website | http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/mechanical/2015/energy-harvesting-applications/index.htm |