Review on Aerodynamic Modeling of Aeroelastic Energy Harvesting Systems

The objective of aeroelastic energy harvesting is to convert the mechanical energy of the structural aeroelastic vibrations into usable electric energy. This topic has received attentions in recent years. While modeling an aeroelastic energy harvesting systems, the aerodynamic model is essential because it greatly affects the analytical results of the dynamic responses and energy outputs. The research goal of this paper was to overview the aerodynamic models used in current studies on aeroelastic energy harvesting. The background of the investigation on aeroelastic vibrations and energy harvesting were firstly introduced. Then the involved aerodynamic models were reviewed and discussed, respectively, focusing on several aeroelastic energy harvesting systems that based on the airfoil, bluff body, plate and wing structures. The potential further work was finally summarized.