Development of 2400-2450 MHz Frequency Band RF Energy Harvesting System for Low-Power Device Operation

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Wireless Power Transfer
• Energy Harvesting

Background:

• Growing demand for self-powered low-power electronics.
• Ambient radio frequency (RF) energy presents a viable power source.
• Existing RF energy harvesting (RFEH) systems face efficiency and power limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel RFEH system for powering portable gadgets.
• To improve the efficiency of converting ambient RF energy into usable DC power.
• To demonstrate the system's functionality in real-world environments.

Main Methods:

• Design and testing of a high-gain receiver microstrip patch antenna operating at 2450 MHz.
• Development of a two-stage Dickson voltage booster for AC to DC conversion.
• Implementation of an LC series circuit for impedance matching between antenna and rectifier.

Main Results:

• Achieved a peak power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 64% at 0 dBm input power.
• Voltage booster successfully rectified a minimum of 50 mV AC to 180 mV DC.
• Maximum output power of 4.60 µW obtained with a 1500 mV input signal and 470 kΩ load.

Conclusions:

• The novel RFEH system demonstrates significant potential for powering low-power portable devices.
• The integrated antenna, voltage booster, and impedance matching circuit enhance harvesting efficiency.
• Successful testing in an open environment validates the system's practical applicability.