A compact dual‐band rectenna for ambient RF energy harvesting

Abstract

A compact broadband ambient RF energy harvester operating from 1800 MHz up to 2.5 GHz is proposed in this paper. This work is motivated by the huge amount of free and continuously available RF energy in the surroundings that can be utilized into useable energy. Harvest performance is investigated using two antennas in this work, a circular polarized and an array antenna. Due to low ambient power densities, a multistage rectifier is utilized to improve the output dc voltage of the proposed system. Measurements indicate the system is capable of harvesting up to 1.8 Vdc output from nondedicated ambient RF energy sources in an urban area, which is significant in the absence of other energy sources.

Compact Rectifier Circuit Design for Harvesting GSM/900 Ambient Energy

“…To analyze the PCE of the proposed rectifier, Figure 5a presents the result of the load terminal (R L ) sweep at various input power levels (from −15 dBm to 10 dBm in step of 5 dBm). The result shows that the efficiency increases with an increase of input power across the load which agreed well with Equation (7) [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. The rectifier achieves a maximum PCE along the 2-4 kΩ load terminal in both cases.…”

“…Many foregoing types of research in the RFEH system focused on a much higher frequency between GSM/1800 to WLAN/5200 to achieve compactness. The operational frequency contributed significantly to achieving a compact RFEH circuit [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. The RF spectral survey from the open literature and the one carried out in this work, using (Aim TTi PSA6005 6 GHz RF spectrum analyzer), come out with a notable result surrounding the lower GSM/900 band towards generating higher available ambient RF power [14,15].…”

“…To recycle ambient RF signal, a rectenna with 20% efficiency is described in [12] using 62 µW/cm 2 (13.27 dBm) input power with a total geometry of 342.55 cm 2 . Several research projects have been developed to accomplish efficient rectenna at relatively low input power [13,14]. An RF rectifier is proposed in [15], the design can achieve up to 33% efficiency at −10 dBm input power at the cost of complex circuit with large electrical length.…”

“…The authors of [13] also worked on rectifier circuit and realized 50% maximum PCE using 21 dBm solar panel. A rectenna that achieved up to 24% PCE is proposed in [14], using −20 dBm input power with help of an antenna array and rectifier with a total geometry of 32.4 cm 2 . Many foregoing types of research in the RFEH system focused on a much higher frequency between GSM/1800 to WLAN/5200 to achieve compactness.…”

Conformable dual‐band wireless energy harvester dedicated to the urban environment

“…For applications in urban and domestic environments, 6,7 the idea of associating organic electronic, through the use of flexible materials, is more considered to reduce the cost and to improve adaptability. Indeed, flexible materials combine the ability to use low‐cost technologies and environmental integration due to their stretchable properties 8,9 .…”