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Step-Up DC-DC Converter Supplied by a Thermoelectric Generator for IoT Applications

Author

Listed:
  • José Almeida

    (Academia Militar/CINAMIL, Av. Conde Castro Guimarães, 2720-113 Amadora, Portugal)

  • P. Mendonça dos Santos

    (Academia Militar/CINAMIL, Av. Conde Castro Guimarães, 2720-113 Amadora, Portugal
    Instituto de Telecomunicações, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • João Caldinhas Vaz

    (Instituto de Telecomunicações, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Ricardo A. Marques Lameirinhas

    (Instituto de Telecomunicações, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Catarina Pinho Correia Valério Bernardo

    (Instituto de Telecomunicações, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • João Paulo N. Torres

    (Instituto de Telecomunicações, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal)

Abstract

This research work aims to design and prototype a DC-DC converter to step up the low voltage of a small, low-power thermoelectric generator (TEG). The system is based on an inductive boost converter and attains a regulated output voltage of 1.2 V. The design’s optimisation was based on simulation and experimental validation and it was implemented with only ten low-cost commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. To reduce complexity, the low-side switch MOSFET of the boost converter is directly driven by an LC oscillator, switching at 1.25 MHz. For loads above 20 k Ω , the converter ensures voltages higher than 1.2 V, supplied by the TEG voltage of 0.5 V, while registering identical efficiency values to those of more complex and expensive CMOS-integrated solutions. These designed features suggest applications in remote IoT nodes and portable devices, delivering sufficient power to backup the supply of corresponding sensing and communication low-power circuits, reducing the necessity of battery replacements or increasing their lifetime.

Suggested Citation

  • José Almeida & P. Mendonça dos Santos & João Caldinhas Vaz & Ricardo A. Marques Lameirinhas & Catarina Pinho Correia Valério Bernardo & João Paulo N. Torres, 2024. "Step-Up DC-DC Converter Supplied by a Thermoelectric Generator for IoT Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:21:p:5288-:d:1505604
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nozariasbmarz, Amin & Collins, Henry & Dsouza, Kelvin & Polash, Mobarak Hossain & Hosseini, Mahshid & Hyland, Melissa & Liu, Jie & Malhotra, Abhishek & Ortiz, Francisco Matos & Mohaddes, Farzad & Rame, 2020. "Review of wearable thermoelectric energy harvesting: From body temperature to electronic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
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