Ambient RF Energy Harvesting in Urban and Semi-Urban Environments
Ambient RF Energy Harvesting in Urban and Semi-Urban Environments
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DOI：
10.1109/tmtt.2013.2262687
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发表时间：
2013-07-01
影响因子：
4.3
通讯作者：
Lucyszyn, Stepan
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Pinuela, Manuel;Mitcheson, Paul D.;Lucyszyn, Stepan
射频采集电路已经演示了50多年，但只有少数几个能够从免费提供的环境(即非专用)射频源中采集能量。在本文中，我们的目标是在城市和半城市环境中的典型环境射频功率水平下实现收割机的操作。为了探索环境射频能量收集的潜力，在街道水平的所有270个伦敦地铁站外进行了全市范围的射频频谱调查。根据本次调查的结果，设计了四台收割机(包括天线、阻抗匹配网络、整流器、最大功率点跟踪接口和存储元件)，以覆盖超高频(0.3-3 GHz)部分内最大的射频贡献者(DTV、GSM900、GSM1800和3G)的四个频段。为每一个乐队设计和制造了原型。使用真实的输入射频电源测量了原型的整体端到端效率；我们的第一个GSM900原型的效率为40%。大约一半的伦敦地铁站被发现是使用我们的四个原型收集环境射频能量的合适地点。此外，还设计和制造了多频段阵列结构，以提供更广泛的操作自由。最后，对所有环境射频能量采集器以及替代能量收集技术的输出直流功率密度进行了比较，首次表明环境射频收集技术可以与其他技术相竞争。
RF harvesting circuits have been demonstrated for more than 50 years, but only a few have been able to harvest energy from freely available ambient (i.e., non-dedicated) RF sources. In this paper, our objectives were to realize harvester operation at typical ambient RF power levels found within urban and semi-urban environments. To explore the potential for ambient RF energy harvesting, a city-wide RF spectral survey was undertaken from outside all of the 270 London Underground stations at street level. Using the results from this survey, four harvesters (comprising antenna, impedance-matching network, rectifier, maximum power point tracking interface, and storage element) were designed to cover four frequency bands from the largest RF contributors (DTV, GSM900, GSM1800, and 3G) within the ultrahigh frequency (0.3-3 GHz) part of the frequency spectrum. Prototypes were designed and fabricated for each band. The overall end-to-end efficiency of the prototypes using realistic input RF power sources is measured; with our first GSM900 prototype giving an efficiency of 40%. Approximately half of the London Underground stations were found to be suitable locations for harvesting ambient RF energy using our four prototypes. Furthermore, multiband array architectures were designed and fabricated to provide a broader freedom of operation. Finally, an output dc power density comparison was made between all the ambient RF energy harvesters, as well as alternative energy harvesting technologies, and for the first time, it is shown that ambient RF harvesting can be competitive with the other technologies.