TY - JOUR
T1 - Performance evaluation of power management systems in microbial fuel cell-based energy harvesting applications for driving small electronic devices
AU - Zhang, Daxing
AU - Yang, Fan
AU - Shimotori, Tsutomu
AU - Wang, Kuang Ching
AU - Huang, Yong
PY - 2012/11/1
Y1 - 2012/11/1
N2 - Power management system (PMS) is critical for driving electronic loads using energy harvested by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Two promising MFC PMS designs, charge pump-capacitor-converter type and capacitor-transformer- converter type, are presented and compared in their performance in driving a wireless sensing system. It is found that the capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS can accommodate lower input voltages, but the charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS has a slightly higher power efficiency. Furthermore, the charging speed of the capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS is not limited by the charge pump as in the charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS, resulting in a shorter charging/discharging cycle. The findings suggest that for loads with large duty cycles comparable to the charging time, the charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS is recommended for its higher power efficiency; on the other hand, for ultra-low MFC output and/or time-sensitive missions, the capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS is recommended for its wider input voltage range and shorter charging/discharging cycle. Highlights: Different power management systems (PMSs) for microbial fuel cells are evaluated. Charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS has a higher power efficiency. Capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS has a shorter charging/discharging cycle.
AB - Power management system (PMS) is critical for driving electronic loads using energy harvested by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Two promising MFC PMS designs, charge pump-capacitor-converter type and capacitor-transformer- converter type, are presented and compared in their performance in driving a wireless sensing system. It is found that the capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS can accommodate lower input voltages, but the charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS has a slightly higher power efficiency. Furthermore, the charging speed of the capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS is not limited by the charge pump as in the charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS, resulting in a shorter charging/discharging cycle. The findings suggest that for loads with large duty cycles comparable to the charging time, the charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS is recommended for its higher power efficiency; on the other hand, for ultra-low MFC output and/or time-sensitive missions, the capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS is recommended for its wider input voltage range and shorter charging/discharging cycle. Highlights: Different power management systems (PMSs) for microbial fuel cells are evaluated. Charge pump-capacitor-converter type PMS has a higher power efficiency. Capacitor-transformer-converter type PMS has a shorter charging/discharging cycle.
KW - Microbial fuel cell
KW - Power management system
KW - Super-capacitor
KW - Wireless sensor
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.06.013
DO - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.06.013
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84862742478
VL - 217
SP - 65
EP - 71
JO - Journal of Power Sources
JF - Journal of Power Sources
SN - 0378-7753
ER -