The Impact of Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithms on Properties of On-chip PV-based Energy Harvester for IoT devices

This article presents the analysis of selected maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms and their influence on developed energy harvester (EH) system under uniform conditions. The energy harvester is an electronic system that converts available ambient energy to electrical energy and regulates its distribution to the output. The aim is to design a energy harvester with highest integration rate possible with consideration of area requirements and low power consumption. To improve the overall energy conversion of the developed harvester, we implemented several MPPT algorithms (Pilot Cell, Constant Voltage, Perturb & Observe) into a dedicated MPPT controller that controls the DC-DC converter. Consequently, we experimentally analyzed their impact on the harvester system. Findings shows that even simple algorithms with smaller chip area and lower power consumption can achieve results comparable to more complex ones. The proposed, manufactured and experimentally evaluated EH chip prototype has proven its expected functionality, and is therefore, fully capable of supplying energy for low-power electronics and battery-operated devices.