Triple Hybrid Energy Harvesting Interface Electronics

• Published in: Journal of physics. Conference series Vol. 773; no. 1; pp. 12027 - 12030
• Main Authors: Ulu an, H, Chamanian, S, Pathirana, W M P R, Zorlu, Ö, Muhtaro lu, A, Külah, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.11.2016
• Subjects: Alternating current; Charge pumps; Circuit design; CMOS; Electric power supplies; Electronics; Energy harvesting; Harvesters; Hybrid systems; Inductors; Low voltage; Physics; Piezoelectricity; Power management; Schottky diodes; Switches; Voltage converters; Voltage drop
• ISSN: 1742-6588; 1742-6596
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/773/1/012027

This study presents a novel triple hybrid system that combines simultaneously generated power from thermoelectric (TE), vibration-based electromagnetic (EM) and piezoelectric (PZT) harvesters for a relatively high power supply capability. In the proposed solution each harvesting source utilizes a distinct power management circuit that generates a DC voltage suitable for combining the three parallel supplies. The circuits are designed and implemented in 180 nm standard CMOS technology, and are terminated with a schottky diode to avoid reverse current flow. The harvested AC signal from the EM harvester is rectified with a self-powered AC-DC doubler, which utilizes active diode structures to minimize the forward- bias voltage drop. The PZT interface electronics utilizes a negative voltage converter as the first stage, followed by synchronous power extraction and DC-to-DC conversion through internal switches, and an external inductor. The ultra-low voltage DC power harvested by the TE generator is stepped up through a charge-pump driven by an LC oscillator with fully- integrated center-tapped differential inductors. Test results indicate that hybrid energy harvesting circuit provides more than 1 V output for load resistances higher than 100 kΩ (10 μW) where the stand-alone harvesting circuits are not able to reach 1 V output. This is the first hybrid harvester circuit that simultaneously extracts energy from three independent sources, and delivers a single DC output.