Moving parts cause vibrations and tend to wear out. In applications where maintenance is complicated, solutions without moving parts are therefore advantageous. Electrohydrodynamic pumps are such a solution. Instead of mechanical propulsion, they use strong electric fields to induce movement in a dielectric cooling liquid. These pumps require very little power, but to generate sufficiently strong electric fields, they need to be fed with very high voltage.  This project explored various methods for designing DC/DC-converters which fulfil the demands of an electrohydrodynamic pump. This was done by altering and combining existing topologies that were deemed to be relevant. The main method for testing and evaluation was by simulating in LTspice. The project also briefly investigated methods of overcurrent protection. This was relevant because gas bubbles in the cooling fluid can cause electric arcs which damage the pumps. Three converter topologies were chosen for further evaluation. First, a conventional resonant Royer-based converter that has previously been used by APR Technologies which was altered by the inclusion of a feedback loop. Second, a high-frequency resonant Royer-based converter with a planar air-core transformer. Third, a transformerless converter with a switched boost converter IC. All circuits included a Cockroft-Walton voltage multiplier bridge. The two resonant Royer-based converters fulfilled all requirements except the one on efficiency, while the transformerless converter fulfilled all requirements except the one on cost, set by APR. The more expensive transformerless converter had a significantly higher efficiency and a wider range of acceptable input voltages. Furthermore three general conclusions were drawn. The first was that planar air-core transformers are not beneficial compared to conventional transformers in these type of applications. The second was that a discrete voltage regulator controlled by feedback from the output is more effective than using a voltage regulator without feedback, as it also eliminates temperature and load variations. The third conclusion was that to protect the circuits from overcurrent, a large series resistor is needed, which causes significantly lowered efficiency.

nÃo hà / O presente trabalho propÃe o estudo do conversor boost CC-CC de alto ganho de tensÃo baseado na cÃlula de comutaÃÃo de trÃs estados e nas cÃlulas multiplicadoras de tensÃo (mc). Este trabalho investiga um modelo matemÃtico para o citado conversor. A anÃlise proposta à baseada na ferramenta âmodelagem do interruptor PWM para conversores CC-CCâ. O modelo deve ser encontrado por uma simples inspeÃÃo do circuito do conversor. Deve ser possÃvel aplicÃ-lo para realizar diversas anÃlises, como em regime permanente, regime transitÃria e anÃlise de pequenos sinais por meio de um uma abordagem unificada. Considerando um dado nÃmero de cÃlulas multiplicadoras de tensÃo, duas situaÃÃes sÃo analisadas com esta ferramenta: operaÃÃo com uma Ãnica cÃlula multiplicadora de tensÃo (mc=1) e vÃrias cÃlulas multiplicadoras de tensÃo (mc> 1). O mÃtodo proposto à validado por simulaÃÃes e à verificada sua efetividade. AlÃm disso, à analisado neste trabalho o controle modo corrente mÃdia convencional, o qual à aplicado em uma das configuraÃÃes em estudo. O rendimento do conversor e a efetividade do controlador proposto sÃo demonstrados por resultados experimentais para um protÃtipo do laboratÃrio de 1 kW. / The present work proposes the study of the boost converter based on three-state switching cell and voltage multipliers cells (mc). A mathematical model of the aforementioned converter is investigated here. The proposed analysis is based on the tool named âPWM-Switch Modeling of DC-DC Convertersâ. The model must be found by a simple inspection of the converterâs circuit. It is possible to apply such model in order to realize various analyses such as steady-state, transient, and small-signal analysis in a single and same model. Considering the number of voltage multipliers cells (mc), two situations are analyzed: operation with a single multiplier cell (mc=1) and operation with multiple voltage multiplier cells (mc>1).The proposed method was validated through simulations and its effectiveness was verified. In addition to this, conventional average current mode control is also applied to one of the studied configurations. The performance of the converter and the effectiveness of the proposed controller are demonstrated by experimental results obtained from a 1-kW laboratory prototype.

This master’s thesis describes the function and realization of the laboratory test equipment designed for measuring and analysing of collector current iC and voltage uCE courses during the opening and closing process of a power IGBT transistor. The opening and closing times toff and ton of the new power transistor IGBT are changing in the range from tenths to the ones s, so the reading of current iC and voltage uCE proceeds in a very short time. The measuring circuit of this test equipment is based on a short-time discharging of a condenser battery to the inductive load over the measured transistor. Consequently it is possible to replace the power supply whose maximum output power would otherwise have to be in the range of ones MW. In the final part of this thesis there are described properties and design of a high-frequency sensor with the Rogowski coil, which can be used for reading collector current course during opening and closing time of the measured transistor IGBT. Collector current iC and voltage uCE courses can be analysed with a storage oscilloscope.

For radio frequency energy transmission, the conversion efficiency of the receiver is decisive not only for reducing sending power, but also for enabling energy transmission over long and variable distances. In this contribution, we present a passive RF-DC converter for energy harvesting at ultra-low input power at 868 MHz. The novel converter consists of a reactive matching circuit and a combined voltage multiplier and rectifier. The stored energy in the input inductor and capacitance, during the negative wave, is conveyed to the output capacitance during the positive one. Although Dickson and Villard topologies have principally comparable efficiency for multi-stage voltage multipliers, the Dickson topology reaches a better efficiency within the novel ultra-low input power converter concept. At the output stage, a low-pass filter is introduced to reduce ripple at high frequencies in order to realize a stable DC signal. The proposed rectifier enables harvesting energy at even a low input power from −40 dBm for a resistive load of 50 kΩ. It realizes a significant improvement in comparison with state of the art solutions

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis aims to present the design and development of an Energy Harvesting (EH) circuit applied to wireless sensor networks (WSN), especially those that perform functions in lighting systems, such as monitoring or control. The primary function of an Energy Harvesting system is to convert, condition and manage energy from an available source in the environment, in order to power low power consumption devices, which usually would be fed by batteries. The most used energy sources in EH systems are solar, wind, electromagnetic waves, mechanical vibration and thermal differences. Thus Energy Harvesting is an alternative to increase the autonomy or even eliminate the use of batteries for portable, implanted or remote located devices. Initially, an analysis of the most appropriate energy sources to power wireless sensors networks is performed, taking into aspects such as energy density, advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, the proposed EH circuit is developed and tested. One of the specific objectives is that the EH proposed circuit is capable to being adapted for different energy sources. The proposed circuit consists of two stages, the first is a pre-amplifier and rectifier based on Villard multiplier. The second stage consists of a low-power boost converter with a synthesized inductor. The circuit is able to operate with minimum input voltages about 0.3 V, reaching maximum output of 5 V and 100mW of power. / A presente dissertação tem por objetivo apresentar a concepção e o desenvolvimento de um circuito Energy Harvesting (EH) aplicado a redes de sensores sem fio, notadamente aquelas que desempenham funções relacionadas a sistemas de iluminação, como por exemplo, monitoramento ou controle. A função primordial de um sistema EH é obter, converter, condicionar e gerenciar energia proveniente de uma fonte disponível no meio ambiente, de modo que esta alimente dispositivos de baixo consumo que usualmente seriam alimentados através de pilhas ou baterias. As fontes de energia mais empregadas para sistemas EH são solar, eólica, ondas eletromagnéticas, diferenças térmicas e vibrações mecânicas. Desse modo, Energy Harvesting é uma alternativa para o aumento da autonomia ou mesmo da eliminação do uso de baterias para dispositivos portáteis, implantados, ou dispositvos que se encontram locais remotos. Inicialmente, uma análise das fontes de energia mais propícias para a alimentação de uma rede de sensores sem fio é realizada, tendo em vista aspectos como densidade de energia, vantagens e desvantagens. Posteriormente, a topologia de circuito EH proposta é desenvolvida e testada. Um dos objetivos específicos é que o circuito EH proposto possa ser adaptado para diferentes fontes de energia. O circuito proposto é composto por dois estágios, o primeiro, é um pré-amplificador e retificador, baseado no multiplicador de Villard. O segundo estágio é composto por um conversor Boost de baixa potência, cuja indutância é sintetizada por meio de um circuito do tipo Gyrator. O circuito é capaz de operar com tensões de entrada mínima de 0,3 V, atingindo saída máxima de 5 V e 100 mW de potência.

For radio frequency energy transmission, the conversion efficiency of the receiver is decisive not only for reducing sending power, but also for enabling energy transmission over long and variable distances. In this contribution, we present a passive RF-DC converter for energy harvesting at ultra-low input power at 868 MHz. The novel converter consists of a reactive matching circuit and a combined voltage multiplier and rectifier. The stored energy in the input inductor and capacitance, during the negative wave, is conveyed to the output capacitance during the positive one. Although Dickson and Villard topologies have principally comparable efficiency for multi-stage voltage multipliers, the Dickson topology reaches a better efficiency within the novel ultra-low input power converter concept. At the output stage, a low-pass filter is introduced to reduce ripple at high frequencies in order to realize a stable DC signal. The proposed rectifier enables harvesting energy at even a low input power from −40 dBm for a resistive load of 50 kΩ. It realizes a significant improvement in comparison with state of the art solutions

No description available.

The main subject of the final thesis is to find a suitable method for measuring the partial discharge (PD) in the dielectric of high-voltage capacitor. In the theoretical part of my thesis contains from the mechanisms of origin and the harmful effects of partial discharge at high voltage insulation of capacitor. It describes the global galvanic method of partial discharge measurement, the principle of cascade voltage multiplier, its main components are high-voltage capacitor and diode, facilities quality measurement of capacitors for voltage multipliers, advantages and disadvantages and principles of HIPOTRONICS DDX-8003 with the pulse discrimination system. In the experimental part of the diploma thesis is familiar with the diagnostics of high – voltage capacitors by means of laboratory measurements on the electronic bridge and with the help of partial discharge measurement system. Design of suitable electrode arrangement is described which eliminates the influence of corona which makes it impossible to measure partial discharges and the dissipation factor (tg ). Analysis data from measurement and determination of quality level, eventual degradation of measured capacitors. The result of this project should be designed the methodology for finding of poor – quality capacitors in order to increase the reliability of the voltage multiplier.

The main subject of the final thesis is to find a suitable method for measuring the partial discharge (PD) in the dielectric of high-voltage capacitor. In the theoretical part of thesis contains from the mechanisms of origin and the harmful effects of partial discharge at high voltage insulation of capacitor. It describes the global galvanic method of partial discharge measurement, the principle of cascade voltage multiplier, its main components (high-voltage capacitor and diode). Nowadays are presented the possibilities of measuring the quality of capacitors for voltage multipliers. In the experimental part of the diploma thesis is familiar with the diagnostics of high – voltage capacitors by means of laboratory measurements on the electronic bridge and with the help of partial discharge measurement system. It describes the design of a suitable electrode arrangement that eliminates the influence of the corona, which makes it impossible to measure partial discharges and the dissipation factor tg . The thesis analyzes the obtained data from measurements and determines the quality level or the degradation of the measured capacitors. The result of the project should be designed the methodology for finding poor quality capacitors in order to increase the reliability of the voltage multiplier.

Radio Frequency (RF) energy transfer is getting increasingly importance in new generations of wireless sensor networks and this trend is tremendously supported by the modern trends to Internet of things (IoT). This promising technology enables proactive energy replenishment for wireless devices. With RF energy, transmission long distances between the energy source and the receiver can be overbridged. The main challenge thereby is the power conversion efficiency from a low level RF input power to a Direct Current (DC) voltage which is able to supply the mobile system. For this purpose, a novel approach for RF DC conversion is proposed. It consists of a modified voltage multiplier RF DC converter circuit by incorporating an inductor at the input of the circuit, which generates an induced voltage able to boost the output circuit and improve the conversion efficiency. Analytical analysis of the novel approach has been carried out to determine the optimal value of the inductor to maximize the output power. The experimental investigations show that the proposed solution is able to improve significantly both the output voltage and the power conversion efficiency, compared to the state of the art, and this especially at low input power ranges, which are often the case. At -10 dBm input power, the modified voltage multiplier RF DC converter circuit can reach 1.71 V output voltage and 49.21 % power conversion efficiency for, respectively, 500 kΩ and 10 kΩ resistive loads. In order to validate the new proposal for the RF transfer system experimentally, microstrip meander line antennas and microstrip patch antenna arrays are designed for different ISM bands, where relevant requirements for RF energy transfer are respected. For each antenna a modified voltage multiplier RF DC converter circuit has been applied and the system is tuned to the corresponding resonant frequency to avoid mismatching. In this investigation several scenarios have been addressed, such as RF transmission energy, RF energy harvesting in Global System for Mobile (GSM) bands and Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) band are developed. Field test results show high performances of experimental results in comparison to the state of the art.:1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Background 3 State of the Art of RF Energy Transfer 4 Novel Approach for a RF DC Converter Circuit 5 Antennas Design 6 Experimental Verification at Specific Scenarios 7 Conclusion / Die RF-Energieübertragung (RF) gewinnt in neuen Generationen von drahtlosen Sensornetzen zunehmend an Bedeutung. Dieser Trend wird durch das Internet der Dinge (IoT) weiter unterstützt. Diese vielversprechende Technologie ermöglicht eine proaktive Energieversorgung für drahtlose Geräte. Mit RF-Energie können große Entfernungen zwischen der Energiequelle und dem Empfänger überbrückt werden. Die größte Herausforderung dabei ist der Wirkungsgrad, mit dem von einer niedrigen HF-Eingangsleistung in eine Gleichspannung (DC), mit welcher das mobile System versorgt wird, gewandelt wird. Zu diesem Zweck wird ein neuer Ansatz für einen RF-DC-Wandler vorgeschlagen. Er besteht aus einer modifizierten Spannungsvervielfacher-RF-DC-Wandlerschaltung, die eine Spule am Eingang der Schaltung integriert. Diese erzeugt eine induzierte Spannung, die in der Lage ist die Ausgangsschaltung zu verstärken und den Umwandlungswirkungsgrad zu verbessern. Analytische Untersuchungen zu diesem neuartigen Ansatz wurden durchgeführt, um den optimalen Wert der Spule zu bestimmen und die Ausgangsleistung zu maximieren. Die experimentellen Untersuchungen zeigen, dass die vorgeschlagene Lösung in der Lage ist, sowohl die Ausgangsspannung als auch den Wirkungsgrad der Leistungsumwandlung im Vergleich zum Stand der Technik deutlich zu verbessern. Dies gilt besonders für niedrige Eingangsleistungsbereiche, welche häufig vorkommen. Bei -10 dBm Eingangsleistung kann die modifizierte Spannungsvervielfacher-RF-DC-Wandlerschaltung 1.71 V Ausgangsspannung und 49.21 % Leistungswandlungswirkungsgrad für jeweils 500 kΩ und 10 kΩ ohmsche Last erreichen. Um das neue RF-Übertragungssystem experimentell zu validieren, werden Mikrostreifenmäanderlinienantennen und Mikrostreifen-Patch-Antennenarrays für verschiedene ISM-Bänder ausgelegt, wobei die relevanten Anforderungen an die RF-Energieübertragung eingehalten werden. Für jede Antenne wurde eine modifizierte Spannungsvervielfacher-HF-DC-Wandlerschaltung verwendet und das System auf die entsprechende Resonanzfrequenz abgestimmt, um Fehlanpassungen zu vermeiden. Dabei wurden mehrere Szenarien untersucht, wie z.B. RF-Energieübertragung, RF-Energiegewinnung aus GSM-Bändern und WLAN-Netzwerken. Die Feldtests zeigen eine hohe Leistungsfähigkeit der experimentellen Ergebnisse im Vergleich zum Stand der Technik.:1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Background 3 State of the Art of RF Energy Transfer 4 Novel Approach for a RF DC Converter Circuit 5 Antennas Design 6 Experimental Verification at Specific Scenarios 7 Conclusion