Noob Question: Energy harvesting circuitry

DC_Kid

Joined Feb 25, 2008
1,072
Ok, So far I've understood that:

Watts are a unit of power, not energy. Joules are a unit of energy without regards to time.
i think you got it.
"watt" is a rate of energy, and "power" is another way to say "energy over time".

W=J/s

but then you can swap J out for its real meaning of work done to move charge across potential.
thus, W=CV/s

usually we describe "energy" in absolute form, like "how much energy does it take to move a 1kg block that touches a rough surface using 0.5cm^2 with coefficient of friction k a distance of 1m?", usually thats "work", but "power" usually related to the rate of energy (ie, energy over time, which doesnt have to be linear or continuous).
 

bwilliams60

Joined Nov 18, 2012
1,442
Thanks again, just to further my understanding. Like any battery that piezo will have stored energy represented as a voltage with a current. So a piezo crystal at 4v 1amp is the same as a battery 4v 1amp?

Thanks for your patience with my ignorance! This is all very new!
Just so I am clear, you do understand that there is no amperage until there is a pathway and some form of load (resistance). There can be pressure(voltage) with no current (amperage) but there cannot be current without pressure. There are basically six sources of electricity, one of them being a piezoelectric source. This is based on applying or removing pressure on a crystal. The more you apply, the more voltage you have. Don't confuse current flow with the amount of current that can be produced. When a load is applied, the crystal may provide enough current to run the load or it may not. Just like a battery. A crystal is only capable of producing a very minute amount of current.
 
Top