Vortex-driven nanogenerators for marine energy harvesting and flow velocity sensing

With the growing focus on clean and sustainable energy, ocean currents have emerged as a promising source. Traditional hydraulic turbines perform poorly in low-velocity ocean currents, limiting efficient energy extraction. This study introduces a novel multi-grating triboelectric nanogenerator (MG-TENG) that harnesses vortex-induced vibrations for energy harvesting, particularly effective in low-velocity marine environments. Our device not only converts ocean current energy into electricity but also measures flow velocity, addressing two critical needs. Structural improvements to the MG-TENG have boosted its output power by 33.5 times over conventional designs, while durability tests confirm its reliability under sustained operation. A new double-cylinder configuration extends the range of measurable velocities from 0.3 to 0.65 m/s, enhancing the device's versatility. These findings suggest that MG-TENG could serve as both a power supply and a velocity sensor, presenting an innovative solution for energy harvesting in low-velocity ocean currents.