International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR)

E-ISSN: 2582-2160 ● Website: www.ijfmr.com ● Email: editor@ijfmr.com

Conversion of Sound to Electric Energy Using

Piezoelectric Sensor
Chandan Kumar1, V. Srikanth2
1
Master’s Student, School of Science and Computer Studies, CMR University, Bengaluru, Karnataka
2
Associate Professor, School of Science and Computer Studies, CMR University, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Abstract
With the increasing energy demands and environmental issues day by day, there is a need for sustainable
alternatives. Noise pollution has always been a topic to worry about. So, we are utilizing noise or sound
by converting it into electrical energy using piezoelectric sensor. The piezoelectric sensors use the
piezoelectric effect to transform mechanical energy, for instance, sound waves into electrical energy. The
potential applications of this technology are numerous, including energy harvesting from traffic noise,
music, and even heartbeats. To the study in the field of piezoelectric energy collecting sensors
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is used. The maximum power outputs
achieved in these studies vary between 0.77 mW to 51.6 mW, depending on what is the outline of the
energy harvester and the type of sound source used. Use of piezoelectric sensors for energy harvesting has
great potential for generating renewable energy from ambient sound sources.

Keywords: Piezoelectric; polyvinylidene fluoride; lead zirconate titanate; renewable energy; ambient
sound source.

INTRODUCTION
Piezoelectric materials have been known since the late 19th century for their ability to generate electricity
when subjected to mechanical stress. In recent times, there has been an increasing level of attention towards
using piezoelectric sensors to harvest energy from ambient mechanical vibrations, including sound waves.
With the help of this technology there can be possibilities to provide a renewable and sustainable source
of energy, particularly in urban environments where noise pollution is high. The fundamental concept
behind a piezoelectric energy harvester is to convert mechanical energy, such as sound waves, into
electrical energy by utilizing a material of piezoelectric. When you apply pressure, like the vibrations
produced by sound waves, to a piezoelectric material, it generates an electric charge. This electric charge
can be captured and utilized to power electronic devices. Recent studies have delved into the potential of
using piezoelectric sensors to harvest energy from sound waves. These inquiries delved into diverse
elements, such as the choice of piezoelectric material, the configuration of the energy harvester, and the
characteristics of the sound waves, encompassing both frequency and amplitude. The objective of this
research is to fine-tune the design of piezoelectric energy harvesters to suit specific applications, such as
extracting energy from traffic noise, musical instruments, and even the movements of the human body. In
essence, the aim is to optimize these devices for diverse environments. The broader goal is to establish
piezoelectric sensors as a reliable method for harvesting energy from sound waves, offering a sustainable
and renewable energy source. This holds significant promise, especially in urban settings where there is a

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 International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR)
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constant influx of ambient sound. With ongoing research and development, this technology has the
potential to play a vital role in the renewable energy landscape.

Literature Review
Piezoelectric sensors have a vital role in converting sound waves into electrical energy, which has a wide
range of uses. Piezoelectricity is essential for gathering power from diverse sources, particularly sound
waves. This ongoing research is focused on improving and optimizing piezoelectric energy harvesting
systems to convert sound energy into useful electrical power.

S.no Tittle Author Journal / Objective Methodology Finding Drawbacks

Content / Technical
1 Investigating Liew Hui The 8th Address the Researchers The it’s essential to
Piezoelectric Fang , Syed International challenge of used the piezoelectric consider
as a Potential Idris Syed Conference low-level piezoelectric transducer practical
Sound Wave Hassan, on Applied energy material exhibited a limitations
Energy Rosemizi Energy density (Q220- A4- peak power and challenges
Harvester Abd Rahim (Liew Hui available in 503YB) as the response when
(Liew Hui (L. H.Liew Fang, 2017) the energy measuring implementing
Fang, 2017) HuiFang, surroundings transformer. 33.133 dBuW such energy
2017) for energy when subjected harvesting
generation to a sound level systems
by sound of 96 dB.
wave.
2 A Look at Nalla Presented at The The The amplitude The study does
Using Mohamed, the ICP objective of piezoelectric of a 90 dB not explicitly
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Sound Nadia Ismail, (Performance harvesting sensor be considered
Hazards 2024) of Materials) electrical when deploying
. (Nalla (Norfarah energy from such
Mohamed Nadia Ismail, sound energy
Mohamed 2024) hazards harvesting
Ismail, 2024) systems.
3 piezoelectric Mr. Sankalp Submitted at The By converting The paper The study does
material for Shrivastava, IJMET objective of sound energy provides a not explicitly
transforming Mr. Manish (International this study is to heat energy theoretical mention any
sound energy Gome Journal of to explore and further to examination of drawbacks, but
into ,Mr. Sanjay Mechanical the electrical power practical
electricity: a Purohit, Mr. Engineering conversion energy. generation implementation

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 International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR)
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research Chahat & of sound through challenges

Mundra, Mr. Technology) energy into piezoelectric should
Shashank electricity means utilizing be considered
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for capturing Azhan Nurhafizi the sound material that the practical
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Sensors for Kumar the this study is piezoelectric examines the not explicitly
the Singh, International to sensors, conversion of mention any
Shahida investigate mechanical drawbacks, but
the

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 International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR)
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Conversion of Khatoon, Conference application of specifically vibrations practical

Noise Kriti on Processing piezoelectric PZT (lead (sound implementatio
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Piezoelectric Singh (Singh, and Systems to explore the integrated the mention any

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 International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR)
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Energy: An 2019) (Singh, 2019) utilization of piezoelectric practicality of drawbacks, but

Empirical piezoelectric technology to utilizing practical
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Identification of Problem
The use of piezoelectric sensors for generating electric energy from sound has great potential for providing
a renewable and sustainable source of energy. However, there are a number of challenges which must be
mitigated to fully realize the latent of this technology. One main problem is the low power output of
piezoelectric energy harvesters. The power output of these devices is limited by different factors, that
includes efficiency of the energy conversion process, sensitivity of the piezoelectric material to mechanical
stress, and the frequency and amplitude of the sound waves. Increasing the power output of piezoelectric
energy harvesters is essential for making this technology commercially viable. Another challenge is the
design and fabrication of piezoelectric energy harvesters that are compact, lightweight, and durable. The
design of these devices must be optimized for the specific administration, considering factors such as the
frequency and amplitude of sound waves, size and shape of the energy harvester, along with the materials
used in its construction. The fabrication process must also be scalable and cost- effective. Furthermore,
the integration of piezoelectric energy harvesters into electronic systems presents additional challenges.
The electrical output of these devices is typically low voltage and high impedance, which may require
additional circuitry to convert the output to a usable form. The integration of piezoelectric energy
harvesters into electronic systems must also take into account factors such as power management, signal
conditioning, and noise reduction. Moreover, piezoelectric sensors only can detect pressure, vibration only.
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In the foreseeable future, piezoelectric sensors are anticipated to extend their capabilities beyond detecting
vibration and pressure, encompassing the detection of environmental factors like heat, humidity, noise, and
light. Addressing these challenges is essential for realizing the full potential of piezoelectric energy
harvesting from sound. By developing more efficient and durable energy harvesters, and integrating them
into electronic systems, it may be possible to generate significant amounts of renewable energy from
ambient sound sources. So in this paper we specifically did research onto the process of converting sound
energy into electric energy and have proposed the methodology of this process.

Existing Methodology
There are very many ways that people can do to change sound into electricity using piezoelectric sensors.
Ferro-ceramic piezoelectric material, a Breadboard Switch, a Multimeter, an LED bulb, 14K resistors, IN
4148 diodes, and a 25 V Capacitor are required which are found in local markets for experimentation. The
Piezo element is inserted into the breadboard by placing the black lead in socket 5E and the red lead into
socket 6E. The positive lead is connected to socket 11E while the negative lead is connected to 1E. To
ascertain whether or not the circuit works well enough; an LED was attached to a breadboard and then the
piezo element was softly knocked causing short illumination of the LED. This way it ensures that this circuit
operates right. (N. Nilimamayee Samal, 2021)
In the second methodology, sound waves which are passing in a medium from time-to-time cause
displacement. As waves of sound oscillate, they cause a back-and-forth displacement due to the
K.E(Kinetic Energy) of the fluctuation and the P.E(potential Energy) of truncation. Firstly, sound energy
is transformed into heat energy before converting into electrical energy. The use of piezoelectric
material introduces an additional loss conversion. Unlike other methods, this process involves the
conversion of mechanical deformation in piezo materials, crystals that can be changed into electric energy.
In the methodology by Nilmamavee, a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting (PEH) system was designed and
connected to a 2 hp, two-pole, 3-phase AC induction motor. The horizontal vibration was measured at 80
mG at 60 Hz. The device demonstrated the capability to generate an output power of 726.2 microwatts
under optimized conditions, targeting a resistance of 100 KΩ.

Methodology
The conversion of sound waves into electrical energy using piezoelectric materials can be achieved
through the following steps:
a) Generation of sound waves: The first step to generate sound waves which can be achieved through
various methods, such as singing, playing musical instruments, or even through ambient noise in the
environment.
b) Detection of sound waves: Next, the sound waves need to be detected. This can be done using a
piezoelectric sensor, which is a device that converts mechanical stress or pressure into electrical
charges.
c) Conversion of sound waves into electrical charges: When sound waves come into contact with a
piezoelectric sensor, they generate mechanical stress on the surface of the sensor. This stress creates
electrical charges within the sensor, which are proportional to the intensity of the sound waves.
d) Collection of electrical charges: The electrical charges generated by the piezoelectric sensor need to
be collected in order to generate a usable electrical output. This can be done using an electrical circuit

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connected to the piezoelectric sensor.

e) Conversion of electrical charges into electrical energy: Finally, with piezoelectric sensor electrical
charges is collected in order to convert into a usable form of electrical energy. This can be achieved
through the use of an electrical converter, such as a rectifier or an inverter, which converts the electrical
charges into a usable form of AC or DC electrical energy. This is a basic overview of the steps
involved in converting electrical
Noise Coming from Environment

Mechanical stress creating electrical charge within the senor

Fig. Flowchart of methodology

Use of regulator/rectifier to convert electric charges into electrical energy
energy from sound energy using piezoelectric materials

Implementation
In this configuration, a speaker serves as the primary sound source, generating vibrations. To enhance the
sensitivity of the quartz crystal with piezoelectric effect, a connection directly to the speaker is established.
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Acknowledging the inherent sensitivity limitation attributed to the material's size, a network of
interconnected sensors is utilized, with strategically placed springs between each sensor to introduce
additional pressure. This unique configuration is intended to effectively convert sound vibrations into a
measurable electrical signal. Given the initially low voltage and current output from the piezoelectric
sensors, a solution is found in the LM2596S DC to DC buck power converter. This converter serves the
crucial role of amplifying the signal, offering adjustable output voltage in the process. The strengthened
signal is then directed towards charging a cost-efficient sealed lead-acid battery with a voltage rating of
12V. To validate the efficacy of the generated voltage and current, an initial test involves employing a DC
motor. Upon successful completion of this testing phase, an inverter is introduced to transform the 12V
DC output into a more substantial 220V AC. This increased voltage is subsequently utilized to power a
9W LED lamp for practical applications. While the system has the potential to accommodate additional
loads, the choice is made to use an LED lamp for simplicity and demonstration purposes. The overarching
energy conversion process encompasses capturing sound vibrations, enhancing the resulting electrical
signal, storing it efficiently in a 12V lead-acid battery, and then utilizing this stored energy to power both
a DC motor and an inverter for AC output, ultimately illuminating an LED lamp. This approach
exemplifies a comprehensive utilization of sound energy, showcasing its transformation through
various stages for practical applications.

Result
Piezoelectric sensors are capable of transforming physical movements or acoustic waves into electrical
signals. When a type of piezoelectric material is subjected to mechanical stress or deformation, the
material generates an electric charge across its surface. This phenomenon is
known as the piezoelectric effect. Therefore, using piezoelectric sensors to capture sound energy is
possible. When sound wave shits the sensor, they cause mechanical vibrations that are then converted into
an electrical signal. The strength of the electrical signal generated by the sensor
depends on the amplitude and frequency of the sound waves.

Level of sound(dB) Output voltage in AC (v) Output Voltage of Rectifier DC

40-45 0.4 0.3
50-55 0.8 0.7
60-65 1.1 1.0
65-70 1.6 1.5
70-75 2.1 2

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Piezoelectric sensors can convert mechanical vibrations or sound waves into electrical
energy by generating an electric charge across their surface through the piezoelectric effect. While it is
possible to harvest sound energy using piezoelectric sensors, the amount of electrical energy produced is
relatively small and limited to low-power applications such as small electronic devices and sensors. The
strength of the electrical signal generated by the sensor depends on the amplitude and frequency of the
sound waves. Therefore, while piezoelectric sensors can be used to generate electricity from sound, their
practical application is mainly suited for low- power devices and sensors.

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