Proceedings (Nov 2018)

A High-Efficiency RF Harvester with Maximum Power Point Tracking

  • Manel Gasulla,
  • Francesc J. Robert,
  • Josep Jordana,
  • Edgar Ripoll-Vercellone,
  • Jordi Berenguer,
  • Ferran Reverter

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2131049
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 13
p. 1049

Abstract

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This paper presents the implementation of a high-efficiency radiofrequency (RF) harvester, which consists of a rectenna and a maximum power point tracker (MPPT). The rectenna was characterized from −30 dBm to −10 dBm at 808 MHz, achieving an efficiency higher than 60% at −10 dBm. Experimental results also show that the rectenna can be well modelled as a Thévenin equivalent circuit, which allows the use of a simple ensuing MPPT. The complete RF harvester was tested, achieving an overall efficiency near 50% at −10 dBm. Further tests were performed powering a sensor node from a nearby antenna.

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