Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T22:45:03.524Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Design of a WPT system for the powering of wireless sensor nodes: theoretical guidelines and experimental validation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2016

M. Donelli ,
P. Rocca  and
F. Viani
M. Donelli*
Affiliation:
Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI) University of Trento, ELEDIA Research Center, Via Sommarive 9, Trento 38123, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 28 2063
P. Rocca
Affiliation:
Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI) University of Trento, ELEDIA Research Center, Via Sommarive 9, Trento 38123, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 28 2063
F. Viani
Affiliation:
Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI) University of Trento, ELEDIA Research Center, Via Sommarive 9, Trento 38123, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 28 2063
*
Corresponding author:M. Donelli Email: massimo.donelli@disi.unitn.it
Get access

Abstract

This work presents the design of a system for wireless power transmission based on a compact rectenna array able to supply low-power electronic devices such as wireless sensors. The receiving section is realized with an array of 12 rectangular patch antennas. Each elements of the array is connected with a suitable harmonic filter and a rectifying circuit by means of a coaxial feeding point. The transmitting section is realized with a one-dimensional prime focus parabolic reflector antenna, with a linear feeder composed by four dipole antennas. The rectenna array, the harmonic filter, the rectifying circuit of the receivers, and the transmitting section were optimized to reach the maximum operative range and efficiency, in term of power transfer. A system prototype has been designed, optimized, fabricated, and experimentally assessed. In particular, a prototype operating in the S band and able to provide a supply power of about 50 mW serves as proof-of-concept. Moreover, theoretical guidelines for the design of wireless power transmission are provided. The obtained experimental results are quite promising and demonstrated the capabilities of wireless power transmission systems as alternative power supply sources.

Keywords

Wireless sensorsAntenna arraysOptimization techniquesMicrowave circuits
Type
Research Article
Information
Wireless Power Transfer , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 15 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Yagi, H.; Uda, S.: On the feasibility of power transmission by electric waves, in Proc. 3rd Pan-Pacific Science Congress, 1 Tokio, Japan, 1926.Google Scholar
[2]Brown, H.C.: The History of power transmission by radio waves. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 32 (1984), 1230–1242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Spaden, J.O.; Yoo, T.; Chang, K.: Theoretical and experimental investigation of a rectenna element for microwave power transmission. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 40 (1992), 2359–2366.Google Scholar
[4]Spaden, J.O.; Fan, L.; Chang, K.: Design and experiments of a high conversion efficiency 5.8 GHz rectenna. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 46 (1998), 2053–2060.Google Scholar
[5]Ren, Y.; Chang, K.: New 5.8 GHz circularly polarized retrodirective rectenna arrays for wireless power transmission. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 54 (2006), 2970–2976.Google Scholar
[6]Sham, M.; Ali, M.: Wireless power transmission to a buried sensor in concrete. IEEE Sens. J., 7 (2007), 1573–1577.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Hu, A.P.: Wireless/Contactless Power Supply: Inductively Coupled Resonant Converter Solutions, VDM Verlag Dr. Muller, Saarbrucken, Germany, 2009.Google Scholar
[8]Kiani, M.: Design and optimization of a 3 coil inductive link for efficient wireless power transmission. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Circuits Syst., 5 (2011), 579–591.Google Scholar
[9]McSpadden, J.O.; Mankins, J.C.: Space solar power programs and microwave wireless power transmission technology. IEEE Microw. Mag., 3 (2002), 46–57.Google Scholar
[10]Sasaki, S.; Tanaka, K.; Higuchi, K.; Okuizumi, N.; Kawasaki, S.; Shinohara, N.; Senda, K.; Ishimura, K.: A new concept of solar power satellite : tethered-SPS. Acta Astronaut., 60 (2006), 153–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[11]Shinohara, N.; Mitani, T.; Matsumoto, H.: Study on ubiquitous power source with microwave power transmission, in Proc. Int. Union of Radio Science (URSI) General Assembly 2005, 2005.Google Scholar
[12]Franceschetti, G.; Rocca, P.; Robol, F.; Massa, A.: Innovative rectenna design for space solar power systems, in Proc. IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Workshop Series on “Innovative Wireless Power Transmission: Technologies, Systems, and Applications (IMWS-IWPT 2012), Kyoto, Japan, 10–11 May 2012.Google Scholar
[13]Oliveri, G.; Poli, L.; Massa, A.: Maximum efficiency synthesis of planar arrays for wireless power transmission. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 61 (2013), 2490–2499.Google Scholar
[14]Massa, A.; Oliveri, G.; Viani, F.; Rocca, P.: Array designs for long-distance wireless power transmission – State-of-the-art and innovative solutions, in Proc. IEEE – Special Issue on ‘Wireless Power Technology, Transmission and Applications,’ Invited Review Paper, 101, June 2013, 1464–1481.Google Scholar
[15]Rocca, P.; Oliveri, G.; Massa, A.: Array synthesis for optimal wireless power systems, in Proc. 2014 IEEE AP-S Int. Symp. and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 6–12 July 2014.Google Scholar
[16]Shinohara, N.: Wireless Power Transfer via Radiowaves (Wave Series), ISTE Ltd. and Wiley, Great Britain and USA, 2014.Google Scholar
[17]Roddy, D.: Satellite Communications, 4th ed., McGraw-Hill, 2006.Google Scholar
[18]Yoo, T.; Chang, K.: Theoretical and experimental development of 10 and 35 GHz rectennas. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 40 (1992), 1259–1266.Google Scholar
[19]Ren, Y.-J.; Farooqui, M.F.; Chang, K.: A compact dual-frequency rectifying antenna with high-orders harmonic-rejection. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 55 (2007), 2110–2113.Google Scholar
[20]Akkermans, J.-A.; Van Beurden, M.C. ; Doodeman, G.-J.-N.; Visser, H.-J.: Analytical models for low power rectenna design. IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett., 4 (2005), 187–190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[21]Pozar, D.: Microwave Engineering, Wiley, New Jersey, USA, 2005.Google Scholar
[22]Balanis, C.: Antenna Theory, 3rd ed., Wiley, New Jersey, USA, 2005.Google Scholar
[23]Gupta, K.-C.; Barthia, P.: Microstrip Lines and Slotlines, Artech House, New York, 1996.Google Scholar
[24]Pozar, D.: Microstrip Antennas: the Analysis and Design of Microstrip Antennas and Arrays. Wiley, New Jersey, USA, 1995.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[25]Bahl, J.; Bhartia, P.: Microstrip Antennas, Artec House, 1980.Google Scholar
[26]Azaro, R.; Donelli, M.; Franceschini, D.; Zeni, E.; Massa, A.: Optimized synthesis of a miniaturized SARSAT band pre-fractal antenna. Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett., 48 (2006), 2205–2207.Google Scholar
[27]Donelli, M.; Azaro, R.; Massa, A.; Raffetto, M.: Unsupervised synthesis of microwave components by means of an evolutionary-based tool exploiting distributed computing resources. Progr. Electromagn. Res., 56 (2006), 93–108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[28]Fimognari, L.; Donelli, M.; Massa, A.; Azaro, R.: A planar electronically reconfigurable WIFI band antenna based on a parasitic microstrip structure. IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett., 6 (2007), 623–626.Google Scholar
[29]Donelli, M.; Febvre, P.: An inexpensive reconfigurable planar array for Wi-Fi applications. Progr. Electromagn. Res. C, 28 (2012), 71–81.Google Scholar
[30]Azaro, R.; Boato, G.; Donelli, M.; Massa, M.; Zeni, E.: Design of a prefractal monopolar antenna for 3.4–3.6 GHz Wi-Max band portable devices. IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett., 5 (2006), 116–119.Google Scholar
[31]Azaro, R.; De Natale, F.; Zeni, E.; Donelli, M.; Massa, M.: Synthesis of a pre-fractal dual-band monopolar antenna for GPS applications. IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett., 1 (2006), 361–364.Google Scholar
[32]Donelli, M.; Martini, A.; Massa, A.: A hybrid approach based on PSO and Hadamard difference sets for the synthesis of square thinned arrays. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. Lett., 57 (2009), 2491–2495.Google Scholar
[33]Donelli, M.; Rukanuzzaman, M.D.; Saavedra, C.: A methodology for the design of microwave systems and Circuits using an evolutionary algorithm. Progr. Electromagn. Res. Lett., 31 (2013), 129–141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[34]Donelli, M.; Rukanuzzaman, M.D.; Saavedra, C.: Design and optimization of a broadband X-band bidirectional. Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett., 55 (2013), 1730–1735.Google Scholar
[35]Massa, A.; Franceschini, D.; Franceschini, G.; Pastorino, M.; Raffetto, M.; Donelli, M.: Parallel GA-based approach for microwave imaging applications. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 53 (2005), 3118–3127.Google Scholar
[36]Collin, R.-E.: Foundation for Microwave Engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1992.Google Scholar
[37]Franceschetti, G.; Oliveri, G.; Rocca, P.; Massa, A.: Advances on remote wireless power transmission at the ELEDIA research center, in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Workshop Series on “Innovative Wireless Power Transmission: Technologies, Systems, and Applications” (IMWS-IWPT2013), Perugia, Italy, 15–16 May 2013.Google Scholar
[38]Ren, Y.-J.; Chang, K.: 5.8-GHz circularly polarized dual-diode rectenna and rectenna array for microwave power transmission. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 1 (2006), 1495–1502.Google Scholar
[39]Yang, X.-X.; Xu, J.-S.; Xu, D.-M.; Xu, C.-L.: X-band circularly polarized rectennas for microwave power transmission applications. J. Electron., 25 (2008), 389–393.Google Scholar