Maximum-Power-Point-Tracking-Optimized Peltier Cell Energy Harvester for IoT Sensor Nodes

This paper presents the development of an energization system prototype for IoT sensor nodes using Peltier cells as energy harvesters; its operation is optimized by applying a maximum power point tracking algorithm (MPPT) to capture as much electrical energy as possible, even if the cell temperature conditions have variations. In the IoT sensor node, a power management algorithm that works in accordance with the measurement and transmission operations can extend the node operating time, to obtain a greater amount of information and reducing the need for battery maintenance. The proposed methodology consists of developing an energization system, as well as the IoT sensor node. The energization system consists of a block of Peltier cells to obtain up to 4 V, a SEPIC-type DC-DC converter, and a 3.7 V lithium battery for energy storage. The converter works in a closed loop with the MPPT algorithm and delivers a voltage that guarantees the maximum power transfer to the battery. The sensor node was developed based on the ESP8266 development board, it allows data acquisition of temperature, humidity, light intensity, presence, and sound. The node transmits this information to the Ubidots platform for real-time visualization; to take advantage of its processing capacity, MPPT and energy management algorithms are also implemented. The results showed that to obtain a minimum voltage of 3.3 V in the energization system, a temperature difference of 59 ± 1 °C between the plates of the Peltier cells is required. The MPPT algorithm allows working at the maximum power point and keeps the power delivered to the battery stable, with small transients when the information is transmitted; however, the overshoot and the settling time are reduced and do not affect the node operation.