Simulation, design and fabrication of 4-element and 32-element rectenna array applying in the wireless power transmission

Abstract

Recently the wireless power transmission (WPT) technology is a priority research direction in the world. The WPT can be divided into two main orientations: firstly WPT using inductive coupling, resonant coupling, and secondly WPT using the beam power technologies by microwave power beam and laser power beam. The WPT system with the beam power technology consists of a solar power satellite and rectenna array. The solar power satellite is composed of a large solar cell matrix to receive solar energy, microwave devices (or laser devices) to convert from solar energy into microwave (or laser) beam power, and a transmitting antenna array to transmit the power beam via the space to the rectenna array. The rectenna array receives microwave power beam and rectifies to DC power. The most important requirement for WPT using beam power technology is high collection efficiency. In order to get high collection efficiency, the rectenna array has to fulfill optimal requirement of its efficiency. This requirement plays a very important role in a wireless power transmission system. In this paper, we represent the simulation, design and the experimental fabrication of rectenna array with 4-element and 32-element rectenna array using micro strip dipole antennas with the integrated J shaped balun at the frequency of 2.45 GHz. Some simulation, design and fabrication results as well as several experimental measurement results of 4-element rectenna were shown and discussed.