Design of Piezoelectric Acceleration Sensor for Automobile Applications

Abstract

In this study, piezoelectric based compressive type accelerometer has been de-signed by using PZT-5A ceramics with bellewasher type spring. FEA analysis were carried out by using COMSOL. According to COMSOL simulation, reso-nance frequency is nearly 42500 Hz. Sensitivity of the designed sensors were measured and compared each other. Frequency spectrum was between 100Hz-10 kHz. The effects of piezodisk thickness, stiffness of the spring and seismic mass on the sensitivity of the designed sensor were investigated. Voltage output is in-creasing from 4.1 mV/g to 12.7 mV/g while seismic mass is raised from 3 gr to 10 gr. Linearity depending on the frequency of the designed accelerometer was dis-torted above 5.5 kHz like commercial accelerometer. In addition, real-time tests were performed using a calibrated accelerometer and a designed accelerometer on the internal combustion engine and drivetrain. Vibration profiles were carried out randomly. According to the results obtained here, it is observed that all the peaks were matched with a coefficient about 1.3.