Reverse Electrodialysis Energy Harvesting System Using High-Gain Step-Up DC/DC Converter

Salinity gradient power (SGP) between fresh river water and sea water is a form of renewable energy with huge potential but not well explored. This paper presents a feasibility study on energy harvesting of SGP based on: 1) the use of reverse electrodialysis (RED) stack, and 2) the combined use of harmonicsboosted resonant inverter and multistage diode-capacitor step-up converter. The properties of an RED stack have been characterized into steady-state ac and dc equivalent circuit models for power converter design for the first time. The gains of the resonant inverter and diode-capacitor step-up converter are also optimized for maximizing the energy efficiency. An RED stack prototype comprising multiple alternating anion and cation exchange membranes with an area of 0.01 m
²
each has been constructed. The dc output voltage of 2-3 V from the RED stack has been stepped up to be over 155 V. This study has confirmed that energy can be harvested with a membrane power density of at least 1.4 W/m
²
, a power converter's efficiency exceeding 85%, and a voltage gain of 67.3 times.