Electrical network with flyback energy harvesting device
An electrical network including a power source, a flyback converter, a microcontroller, a PID controller, a voltage boost converter, a pulse width modulator integrated circuit, and a battery. The power source produces a charge with a voltage ranging from about 0.1V to about 0.8V and a power ranging from about 0.3 mW to about 100 mW. The flyback converter functions in discontinuous current mode. The microcontroller monitors the power source voltage, calculates a voltage response, and outputs a control signal for the voltage. The PID controller is a digital PID controller, an analog PID controller, or a combination thereof. The voltage boost converter utilizes the power source voltage and power to provide higher voltage power to the electrical network. The pulse width modulator integrated circuit sets a duty cycle and frequency for the flyback converter. The battery stores excess charge produced by the power source.
1. An electrical network, comprising:
a power source, wherein the power source produces a charge with a power source voltage ranging from 0.1V to 0.8V and a power ranging from 0.3 mW to 100 mW;
a flyback converter, wherein the flyback converter functions in discontinuous current mode;
a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller monitors the power source voltage, calculates a voltage response, and outputs a control signal for the power source voltage and holds the power source voltage at an optimum voltage set point using a formula:
0.5*(PS open circuit voltage)
where PS open circuit voltage is the power source open circuit voltage ranging from 0.1V to 0.8V;
a PID controller, wherein the PID controller is a digital PID controller, an analog PID controller, or a combination thereof;
a voltage boost converter, wherein the voltage boost converter utilizes the power source voltage and power to provide higher voltage power to the electrical network;
a pulse width modulator integrated circuit, wherein the pulse width modulator integrated circuit sets a duty cycle and frequency for the flyback converter; and
a battery, wherein the battery stores excess charge produced by the power source.
2. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein the flyback converter operates in an open loop or a closed loop.
3. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein the flyback converter harvests the excess charge produced by a microbial fuel cell and diverts the excess charge to the battery.
4. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein pulse width modulator integrated circuit sets the duty cycle to a range of 1% to 99%.
5. The electrical network of claim 1 , further including a sensor, wherein the sensor is powered by the battery.
6. The electrical network of claim 5 , wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, an accelerometer, a compass, a pressure sensor, a magnetometer, and combinations thereof.
7. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein the flyback converter has an input impedance determined using a formula:
Zin
=
2
*
F
*
L
D
2
where F is a frequency of the pulse width modulator integrated circuit, D is the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator integrated circuit, L is a primary winding inductance of the pulse width modulator integrated circuit if a transformer has a 1:1 winding, and Z in is the input impedance.
8. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein a timer is set for the microcontroller to sleep for a time ranging from 6 hours to 12 hours.
9. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein the PID controller is attached to the microcontroller or is a discrete electronic component in the electrical network.
10. The electrical network of claim 1 , the pulse width modulator integrated circuit sets the frequency at a range of 1 kHz to 100 kHz.
11. The electrical network of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller includes an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a comparator, and combinations thereof.
12. An electronic network system, comprising:
a power source, wherein the power source produces a charge with a power source voltage ranging from 0.1V to 0.8V and a power ranging from 0.3 mW to 100 mW;
a flyback converter, wherein the flyback converter functions in discontinuous current mode;
a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller monitors the power source voltage, calculates a voltage response, and outputs a control signal for the power source voltage and holds the power source voltage at an optimum voltage set point using a formula:
0.5*(PS open circuit voltage)
where PS open circuit voltage is the power source open circuit voltage ranging from 0.1V to 0.8V;
a PID controller, wherein the PID controller is a digital PID controller, an analog PID controller, or a combination thereof;
a voltage boost converter, wherein the voltage boost converter utilizes the power source voltage and power to provide higher voltage power to the electrical network;
a pulse width modulator integrated circuit, wherein the pulse width modulator integrated circuit sets a duty cycle and frequency for the flyback converter; and
a battery, wherein the battery stores excess charge produced by the power source.
13. The electrical network of claim 12 , wherein the flyback converter operates in an open loop or a closed loop.
14. The electrical network of claim 12 , wherein the flyback converter harvests the excess charge produced by a microbial fuel cell and diverts the excess charge to the battery.
15. The electrical network of claim 12 , wherein pulse width modulator integrated circuit sets the duty cycle to a range of 1% to 99%.
16. The system of claim 12 , further including further including a sensor selected from the group consisting of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a motion sensors, an accelerometer, a compass, a pressure sensor, a magnetometer, and combinations thereof.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the flyback converter has an input impedance determined using a formula:
Zin
=
2
*
F
*
L
D
2
where F is a frequency of the pulse width modulator integrated circuit, D is the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator integrated circuit, L is a primary winding inductance of the pulse width modulator integrated circuit if a transformer has a 1:1 winding, and Z in is the input impedance.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the microcontroller includes an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a comparator, or a combination thereof.