Piezoelectricity, which refers to the effect in which physical pressure on a crystal or crystalline ceramic surface results in an electric charge and vice-versa, has many exciting applications for military use. The guide below will discuss how the military uses piezoelectric devices to gather data, enhance safety, enable remote operations and optimize performance in aerial vehicles and satellites.
Piezoelectric ceramics, or piezoceramics, are ideal for use in military-grade equipment because of the performance advantages they provide. They are often useful in sensors and can store energy to power electronic devices. A few benefits of piezoelectric ceramics in the military include the following:
Piezoelectric ceramics also provide durability under the extreme circumstances common to military operations. They can operate reliably in a vacuum, for instance, and they resist electromagnetic interference as many other electronic products cannot. Below are six common piezoelectric applications in the military:
Some of the first applied experiments with piezoelectricity during World War I/II led to the development of sonar for countering the threat of submarine warfare. That early sonar was passive, however. It could detect acoustic signals but not emit its own.
Today’s active sonar is much more advanced, using an acoustic transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that bounce back from nearby objects. Aerial and naval vessels often have active sonar and echolocation equipment aboard to detect other vessels and mines. They also rely on this equipment for ranging and navigation.
Different piezoceramic products are useful in different sonar applications. Some equipment uses discs, plates or stacked transducers. Other equipment uses sonar arrays, which allow for a linear deflection of the ultrasonic wave to permit directed ultrasound. Various sonar applications also call for different types of piezoelectric transducers because no single transducer can cover the entire frequency band over which sonar is useful. Manufacturers therefore tend to optimize transducer models for various narrower frequency ranges.
Hydrophones are specialized microphones that record sonic or ultrasonic waves underwater. They typically form the listening components of passive sonar equipment that merely detect sound waves rather than sending them out. They allow their operators to find submarines and other submerged forms and track their movements underwater.
Hydrophones use piezoelectric components because they respond to even tiny changes in underwater water pressure. When the components detect such a change, they produce a small electrical current. When the piezoceramics in a hydrophone detect the pressure changes associated with underwater ultrasonic waves, they generate small electric charges that indicate the waves’ presence. By amplifying and recording the signals, they can measure objects in the ocean with incredible precision.
A single hydrophone records critical information, and several triangulated hydrophones provide even more. A hydrophone array is more sensitive than a single device and can give the military much more nuanced and valuable information about vessel movements or the migrations of aquatic wildlife.
Accelerometers contain tiny sensors that measure the acceleration forces acting on a particular object. Piezoelectric accelerometers work by detecting the small pressure changes that occur when an object’s velocity increases or decreases and emit an electric charge in response to that change. They are useful for vibration and shock measurement in many military operations, as well as inertial and gyroscopic guidance systems for aircraft, munitions, or personnel.
Piezoelectric generators are useful in the fuses of explosives and munitions during combat. Using high-density energy generators, piezo triggers can create electric charges that detonate devices without an on board power source, making them very reliable. They also have the ability of withstanding high G loads.
In military vehicles and devices, piezoceramic materials are useful for monitoring vibrations and seismic activity. They can also detect the changes in pressure that signify blast shock waves. The piezoceramics in the sensors generate a charge in response to these pressures, and the charge causes the sensors to warn of impending danger.
Piezoelectric components are essential in actuators and can also form parts of motors known as piezo motors, which are useful in unmanned aircraft because of their high precision, accuracy, and ability to perform without the use of a magnetic field.
In unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), piezoelectric energy harvesting actuators are also useful for extending battery life. They can generate small electrical charges that keep the batteries running and extend the flight times possible for UAVs. Their small size also makes them ideal for more compact and miniaturized equipment at the micro and nano scales. In satellites, they are useful for operating microthrusters that power and stabilize the satellite craft.
To see the benefits of military piezoelectric ceramics in your operations, contact APC International. Since 1986, we have been providing advanced piezoelectric solutions for even the most challenging security and defense applications. We pride ourselves on our quick turnaround times and close working relationships with our customers, so partnering with us means you’ll get the piezoelectric components you need in time frames that work for your schedule.
We have extensive experience with manufacturing custom piezoelectric parts, from stack actuators to air transducers and ultrasonic power transducers. We’re also well versed in the selection of the right piezoelectric material for a given application. We are available to talk you through the pros and cons of each PZT-based piezoceramic option to help you make the right choice for tactical scenarios when lives are on the line.
Learn more by reading the technical resources in our knowledge center, or contact us today to speak to a representative.
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