Integrated CMOS Energy Harvesting Converter with Digital Maximum Power Point Tracking for a Portable Thermophotovoltaic Power Generator

This paper presents an integrated maximum power point tracking system for use with a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) portable power generator. The design, implemented in 0.35 μm CMOS technology, consists of a low-power control stage and a dc-dc boost power stage with soft-switching capability. With a nomin...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert, Li, Wei, Celanovic, Ivan, Perreault, David J.
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/99334
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0746-6191
Description
Summary:This paper presents an integrated maximum power point tracking system for use with a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) portable power generator. The design, implemented in 0.35 μm CMOS technology, consists of a low-power control stage and a dc-dc boost power stage with soft-switching capability. With a nominal input voltage of 1 V, and an output voltage of 4 V, we demonstrate a peak conversion efficiency under nominal conditions of over 94% (overall peak efficiency over 95%), at a power level of 300 mW. The control stage uses lossless current sensing together with a custom low-power time-based ADC to minimize control losses. The converter employs a fully integrated digital implementation of a peak power tracking algorithm, and achieves a measured tracking efficiency above 98%. A detailed study of achievable efficiency versus inductor size is also presented, with calculated and measured results.