Wireless Energy Harvesting System

The modern world is built upon wireless transmission of data. The signals that carry this data travel through the air, an untapped source of power. Unreceived transmissions are dissipated into useless forms of energy when they should be reclaimed. Wireless electronics can theoretically be powered by harvesting energy from the electromagnetic signals in the wireless internet frequency band. The aim of this project is to develop a system to capture ambient energy, convert it into DC power, and store the power for later use. The product will consist of three subsystems: an antenna receiver, a rectifier and voltage-multiplier, and a power management unit. The antenna must be compact, and have the highest gain possible. The final product should be able to be mounted in any orientation for versatility. The rectifier subsystem will be matched to the receiver in order to convert the AC signal into a DC signal. The multiplier can increase the voltage to supply the power management unit (PMU). It is critical for the rectifier system to be able to operate at low power levels to effectively feed into the PMU. The power management unit will receive the amplified voltage from the rectifier and voltage-multiplier. It is crucial for the PMU to operate at low power and have the capability to output a constant DC power, similar to a battery, despite unreliable sources. Commercially available PMU’s can be programmed and implemented with the other subsystems to provide effective power management. The advantage of this simple design is the ability to be replicated without complex or proprietary methods. Once each module is tested and verified, the three will be implemented together and tested for efficient wireless energy harvesting, power storage, and ultimately to deliver power.