Video Tutorial and Experiments on Energy Harvesting ICs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 07:41:38 pm
content: In this episode Shahriar investigates some state-of-the-art energy harvesting ICs from Linear Technology. The LTC3105 is a highly efficient 400mA Step-Up DC/DC Converter with Maximum Power Point Control and 250mV Start-Up. After exploring the IC’s internal block diagram, the evaluation board for this energy harvesting chip is presented. Various experiments, including the calculation of efficiency, maximum power delivery, start-up behavior and MPPC are presented. As a last experiment, a two stage energy harvesting setup using a solar panel and a super-capacitor capable of charging an iPhone is demonstrated.The second IC of interest is the LTC3109 which is an Auto-Polarity, Ultralow Voltage Step-Up Converter and Power Manager Energy Harvesting chip. The block diagram and the evaluation board of this IC is presented. The ultra-low voltage capability of the circuit is demonstrated through the use of a Peltier cooler thermo-electric component to generate a 5V output voltage. As a final experiment, several ice cubes are used in conjunction with the thermo-electric generator in order to harvest enough energy to charge an iPhone for 30 seconds.You can see the video here: [1 Hour]http://thesignalpath.com/blogs/2013/01/03/tutorial-and-experiments-on-energy-harvesting-ics/More videos at The Signal Path:http://thesignalpath.com/blogs/

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 07:55:35 pm
content: The term "energy harvesting" almost made me ignore this thread

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 08:02:55 pm
content: Very nice video there Shahriar. Nice little demo there, and a nice supercap as well.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 08:09:42 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on January 03, 2013, 07:55:35 pmWhat is wrong with energy harvesting?

author: Pak_Engineer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 08:16:40 pm
content: Great effort. Love your detailed videos. Cheers.P.S. "energy harvesting" is what made me click on this thread. You should include Signal path blog in the title as well.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 09:04:21 pm
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on January 03, 2013, 08:09:42 pmNothing wrong with that after seeing your video, it just made me think of "free energy" for some reason. Probably because I'm not native English.This was a great video again, I was not aware of the existence of these IC's, thank you very much!

author: Kibi
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 09:53:54 pm
content: I was going to watch a movie, but I decided to watch this, much more entertaining. Thanks very much Shahriar.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2013, 11:39:44 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on January 03, 2013, 09:04:21 pmNo problem! I understand what you are saying. No free energy nonsense here!

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 01:54:20 am
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on January 03, 2013, 11:39:44 pmThe energy is free! It's the harvesting that costs.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 02:42:40 am
content: Quote from: McMonster on January 04, 2013, 01:54:20 amYou ironically expend more energy on physical movement setting up the test than the energy collectedDave.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 04:39:32 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 04, 2013, 02:42:40 amI can attest to this. I drank four beers during the making of this video. Especially during the wait for the ice to melt. I discovered something more boring than watching paint dry: watching ice melt!

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 05:13:58 am
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on January 04, 2013, 04:39:32 amGO! GO! GO! MELT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!Additionally, on a more serious note,if you were to only use one of the chips, and you were to do bulk storage with a supercap, would it be best to do it on the input or the output? On the input, your source may not be at an efficient level of load, and the converter would lose some energy during the boost conversion but on the output, your device wouldn't be able to use all the charge in the cap?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 06:26:22 am
content: Most of the time the fans die or the heatsink corrodes away ( water cooler) before the peltier unit itself fails.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 06:26:53 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on January 04, 2013, 06:26:22 amThat is in fact exactly where I got my Peltier units from!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 06:58:44 pm
content: Snap, i am looking to do a transplant myself for a little cooler so I can have cool water again.

author: jerry507
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 06:59:16 pm
content: I was just looking at Linears product line a day or two ago. Just closed the tabs on my desktop last night evenHave you found any other vendors with these specialized ICs?

author: IanJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 04, 2013, 09:15:00 pm
content: Hi all,Here's a peltier cooler (bottom left) I put in a panel many years ago. It was the first time we'd used them and so much experimentation took place. The secret per Shahriar's video is to remove the heat from the hot side as much as possible, the more you do then the colder the cold side gets for the same temp differential.We had a fan on the cold inside the panel to circulate the cooled air as well as a fan on the hot side (outside) to remove the heat.Ironically, the power supply that powers the peltier is inside the same enclosure, so we had to find one that dissipated as little heat as possible. All said and done though the peltiers were extremely good.PS. Out of sight is the cover to the panel.....a 20" touchscreen daylight readable LCD.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 03:06:08 am
content: What was the dimension of the Peltier cooler you had?

author: IanJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 05, 2013, 10:35:36 am
content: Quote from: Hugoneus on January 05, 2013, 03:06:08 amHi,Can't remember, but the heatsink in the pic is about 5" or 6" square. I seem to remember the rating was 400btu/hr.Ian.

author: Hugoneus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2013, 05:32:11 am
content: Quote from: jerry507 on January 04, 2013, 06:59:16 pmI have not checked very carefully yet, AD might have something.