An Improved DC-DC Boost Converter for Energy Harvesting

Abstract

A novel dual-input DC-DC boost converter that can perform the integration of harvested energy from solar and vibrational input energy sources is proposed. Firstly, the background of a hybrid energy system that relates to multi-input DC-DC converters is discussed, and the limitations of the current designs of power converter ICs are highlighted. A detailed design analysis of the proposed converter was done to justify its performance. A current and voltage stress analysis has been performed to ensure suitable switching devices are selected for the converter. Two different power control strategies are proposed for the DIDCB converter to manage output voltage during source and load-side disturbances. Performance analysis of the circuit is carried out using MATLAB Simulink software. Different duty ratios for power switches in the converter were tested to determine the maximum boost ratio and the highest efficiency that can be achieved by the converter. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed converter, the performance of the converter is compared with existing converter topologies. The proposed converter achieved a high efficiency of 99.4%, had less fluctuation in the output voltage, and had reduced overshoot. In addition, the proposed converter demonstrated a simpler configuration and required fewer component counts, which helped reduce the cost and size of the system.