Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors
This paper examines the suitability of selected configurations of ultra-low voltage (ULV) oscillators as starters for a voltage boost converter to harvest energy from a thermoelectric generator (TEG). Important properties of particularly promising configurations, suitable for on-chip implementation...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4092 |
| _version_ | 1797527246593851392 |
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| author | Grzegorz Blakiewicz Jacek Jakusz Waldemar Jendernalik |
| author_facet | Grzegorz Blakiewicz Jacek Jakusz Waldemar Jendernalik |
| author_sort | Grzegorz Blakiewicz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper examines the suitability of selected configurations of ultra-low voltage (ULV) oscillators as starters for a voltage boost converter to harvest energy from a thermoelectric generator (TEG). Important properties of particularly promising configurations, suitable for on-chip implementation are compared. On this basis, an improved oscillator with a low startup voltage and a high output voltage swing is proposed. The applicability of n-channel native MOS transistors with negative or near-zero threshold voltage in ULV oscillators is analyzed. The results demonstrate that a near-zero threshold voltage transistor operating in the weak inversion region is most advantageous for the considered application. The obtained results were used as a reference for design of a boost converter starter intended for integration in 180-nm CMOS X-FAB technology. In the selected technology, the most suitable transistor available with a negative threshold voltage was used. Despite using a transistor with a negative threshold voltage, a low startup voltage of 29 mV, a power consumption of 70 µW, and power conversion efficiency of about 1.5% were achieved. A great advantage of the proposed starter is that it eliminates a multistage charge pump necessary to obtain a voltage of sufficient value to supply the boost converter control circuit. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:41:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92e5d7eb93d9425e9bb059d10f0033fc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:41:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-92e5d7eb93d9425e9bb059d10f0033fc2023-11-22T03:39:56ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-07-011414409210.3390/en14144092Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn SensorsGrzegorz Blakiewicz0Jacek Jakusz1Waldemar Jendernalik2Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandFaculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandFaculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdańsk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandThis paper examines the suitability of selected configurations of ultra-low voltage (ULV) oscillators as starters for a voltage boost converter to harvest energy from a thermoelectric generator (TEG). Important properties of particularly promising configurations, suitable for on-chip implementation are compared. On this basis, an improved oscillator with a low startup voltage and a high output voltage swing is proposed. The applicability of n-channel native MOS transistors with negative or near-zero threshold voltage in ULV oscillators is analyzed. The results demonstrate that a near-zero threshold voltage transistor operating in the weak inversion region is most advantageous for the considered application. The obtained results were used as a reference for design of a boost converter starter intended for integration in 180-nm CMOS X-FAB technology. In the selected technology, the most suitable transistor available with a negative threshold voltage was used. Despite using a transistor with a negative threshold voltage, a low startup voltage of 29 mV, a power consumption of 70 µW, and power conversion efficiency of about 1.5% were achieved. A great advantage of the proposed starter is that it eliminates a multistage charge pump necessary to obtain a voltage of sufficient value to supply the boost converter control circuit.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4092CMOSlow voltagelow powerstarterboost DC-DC converterenergy harvesting |
| spellingShingle | Grzegorz Blakiewicz Jacek Jakusz Waldemar Jendernalik Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors Energies CMOS low voltage low power starter boost DC-DC converter energy harvesting |
| title | Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors |
| title_full | Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors |
| title_fullStr | Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors |
| title_short | Starter for Voltage Boost Converter to Harvest Thermoelectric Energy for Body-Worn Sensors |
| title_sort | starter for voltage boost converter to harvest thermoelectric energy for body worn sensors |
| topic | CMOS low voltage low power starter boost DC-DC converter energy harvesting |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4092 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT grzegorzblakiewicz starterforvoltageboostconvertertoharvestthermoelectricenergyforbodywornsensors AT jacekjakusz starterforvoltageboostconvertertoharvestthermoelectricenergyforbodywornsensors AT waldemarjendernalik starterforvoltageboostconvertertoharvestthermoelectricenergyforbodywornsensors |