Isolated DC-DC Converter for Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting Based on a Piezoelectric Transformer

Thermoelectric energy harvesting requires a large temperature gradient, which is usually the main difficult that limits the power and efficiency conversion. To deal with the electrical energy generation drawbacks it is essential to have a DC-DC converter that compensates and guarantees the harvest of the greatest amount of energy generated. This paper presents an isolated DC-DC converter for waste heat energy harvesting. The converter is intended to be used in applications where isolation is required with high efficiency and low EMI. The proposed converter was experimentally tested with a 5W prototype, achieving a maximum voltage gain of 4.6 with an 86% peak efficiency.