Energy Harvesting from Vibrations in Railway Tracks: A Feasibility Study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrmeet.org.v10.i1.3

Dr. Tushar Mehrotra

DCSE

Galgotias University

Greater Noida, UP, India

tushar.mehrotra@galgotiasuniversity.edu.in

Abstract

The rapid growth of railway transportation imposes increasing demands on sustainable energy solutions for track-side monitoring and signaling systems. Vibration energy harvesting (VEH) from passing trains offers a promising avenue to power low-energy devices without reliance on battery replacement or grid connections. This study investigates the feasibility of VEH using piezoelectric and electromagnetic transducers installed beneath standard-gauge track sleepers. Field experiments were conducted on a 5 km section of heavy-traffic mainline, capturing acceleration profiles under varying train speeds (60 – 120 km/h) and axle loads (20 – 25 t). A custom test rig integrated lead zirconate titanate (PZT) stacks and coil–magnet assemblies to convert mechanical vibrations into electrical energy. Over 30 days of continuous monitoring, average harvested power peaked at 8.4 mW per transducer at 120 km/h, with daily energy yields sufficient for periodic wireless sensor network (WSN) transmissions. Statistical analysis of 1,200 individual train passages revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.87) between train speed and harvested energy, while axle load exhibited a moderate effect (r = 0.56). A single PZT module yielded a mean of 0.42 J per passage (σ = 0.08 J), supporting up to 50 transmissions of status packets (2 mJ each). The study concludes that VEH in railway tracks can sustainably power WSN nodes and low-power algorithms for condition monitoring, with design optimizations—such as resonant tuning and modular assembly—capable of enhancing power densities to meet future demands.

Keywords

Vibration energy harvesting; railway tracks; piezoelectric transducer; electromagnetic generator; wireless sensor networks

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Published Paper PDF: https://ijrmeet.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jan_2022_Energy-Harvesting-from-Vibrations-in-Railway-Tracks-A-Feasibility-Study-17-24.pdf

How to Cite: Mehrotra, T. (2022). Energy harvesting from vibrations in railway tracks: A feasibility study. International Journal of Research in Modern Engineering and Emerging Technology (IJRMEET), 10(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrmeet.org.v10.i1.3