A Low-Voltage Self-Starting Boost Converter Using MPPT with Pulse Multiplication for Energy Harvesting

Abstract

A single-inductor, low-voltage, three-step self-starting boost converter is proposed for photovoltaic (PV) energy harvesting. In order to enhance energy transfer efficiency, a variable-step Perturb and Observe (P&O) Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) scheme has been devised based on a novel pulse multiplication technique. Upon overcoming the speed and accuracy limitations, the maximum power point (MPP) of the PV model is accurately tracked. In the boost converter, the average inductor current is utilized to implement closed-loop control of the MPPT loop, enhancing the stability of the tracking process and enabling efficient energy transmission. Finally, the boost converter is implemented using a 0.18 μm CMOS process, which is capable of self-starting and maintaining stable operations at input voltages ranging from 90 mV to 300 mV, achieving a peak efficiency of 93%.