Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting System for Low-Power Iot Sensor
L.T. Cammeraat (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
W.A. Landman (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
S. Du – Mentor (TU Delft - Electronic Instrumentation)
Z. Qiu – Mentor (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
Wenyu Peng – Mentor (TU Delft - Electronic Components, Technology and Materials)
Richard Hendriks – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Signal Processing Systems)
Tomas Manzaneque – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Electronic Instrumentation)
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Abstract
Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting (PEH) offers a viable and sustainable solution for powering low-power electronic systems in hard-to-reach or maintenance-intensive environments, such as those found in aviation. The focus of this thesis lies on the circuit design aspect of the system, encompassing harvesting efficiency, regulation, and adaptive switching logic. The results validate that the proposed design fulfills the energy demands of a low-power wireless sensor, even under irregular excitation patterns. A range of advanced rectifierless interface topologies are investigated, including Rectifierless Synchronous Electric Charge Extraction (ReL-SECE), Rectifierless Synchronized Switch Harvesting on Inductor (ReL-SSHI), and Parallel-SSHI (P-SSHI). These non-linear techniques are selected for their ability to maximize power output, eliminate diode thresholds, and dynamically adapt to varying load and vibration conditions, significantly improving power transfer compared to traditional full-bridge rectifiers. Energy storage is realized through the use capacitors due to their rapid charge/discharge characteristics and long operational life. To ensure circuit safety and longevity, an over-voltage protection mechanism is implemented using a shunt regulator in combination with a resistive voltage divider. Additionally, a dedicated voltage regulation stage is incorporated to maintain a stable 3.3 V DC output, necessary for reliable operation of downstream wireless transmitters and onboard sensor systems. The proposed system is designed to be energy-autonomous, capable of cold-start operation, and optimized for long-term deployment without the need for external maintenance or battery replacement. The approach aligns with current trends in micro-energy harvesting (MEH) for IoT applications, emphasizing compactness, adaptability, and robustness under real-world conditions. Overall, the system demonstrates the practical potential of intelligent, self-powered harvesting circuits in enabling sustainable sensor networks and instrumentation in modern aircraft environments.