Self-powered technology for wireless monitoring systems in high-speed train bogies

Purpose Wireless condition monitoring systems for high-speed train running gears require stable power supplies, yet conventional batteries need frequent maintenance in constrained bogie environments. Existing self-powered devices for rail transit suffer from low energy output efficiency and compromised monitoring stability. This study aims to address these challenges by developing a wind energy harvesting-based self-powered technology that captures ambient wind energy around train running gears during high-speed operation, providing reliable power support for wireless condition monitoring systems on high-speed train bogies. Design/methodology/approach The wind field characteristics around high-speed train running gears are investigated to determine available wind energy resources. An electromagnetic energy harvesting device comprising a four-blade S-shaped rotor and an electromagnetic conversion module is designed. Dynamic analysis and theoretical modeling of aerodynamics and electromagnetic output are performed. Finite element simulations are conducted using COMSOL to analyze wind and pressure distributions. A prototype is fabricated and experimentally evaluated in a wind tunnel under various wind speeds and load conditions. Stability and practicability tests are conducted with low-power wireless sensors. Findings Experimental results demonstrate that the harvester achieves a maximum output power of 365.1 mW at 15 m/s wind speed under a 600O load, with an output voltage of 14.8V. Output voltage and frequency are positively correlated with wind speed. Within the 8–20 m/s range, the output voltage shows a favorable linear correlation with wind speed, suggesting potential application as a wind speed sensor. Fifty-hour stability tests confirm reliable long-term operation and practicability tests verify successful powering of low-power wireless sensors. Originality/value This study innovatively applies wind energy harvesting-based self-powered technology to onboard high-speed train scenarios, addressing a gap as most existing wind energy harvesters target low-speed or trackside applications. The proposed electromagnetic device uses a wind-direction-independent S-shaped rotor, enabling adaptation to bidirectional airflow during train operation. It uniquely demonstrates dual functionality – serving as both a reliable power source for wireless condition monitoring and a wind speed sensor through the linear voltage–wind-speed correlation. This work provides a meaningful reference for developing self-powered wireless sensor nodes in rail transit and other practical engineering applications.