Vibration-powered micro converters: The future of energy
Scientists at the University of California San Diego and CEA-Leti have unveiled a piezoelectric-based DC-DC converter that consolidates all power switches onto a single chip, promising a significant increase in power density.
This innovative power topology combines the strengths of piezoelectric converters with capacitive-based DC-DC converters, presenting a compact alternative to the bulky inductors currently in use.
The study marks piezoelectric resonator-based power conversion’s first integrated circuit (IC).
Shockingly, the DSPPR boasts a remarkable 310 percent loss reduction over prior-art discrete designs, showcasing its potential for various applications.
“This innovative approach enhances performance, especially at low voltage conversion ratios—an area where prior works struggled to sustain both high efficiency and optimal utilization of piezoelectric materials,” said Patrick Mercier, a senior paper author and professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC San Diego, in a press release.
Compared to traditional discrete designs, the hybrid DSPPR converter capitalizes on the integrated circuits’ ability to offer sophisticated power stages in a confined space.
This enables efficient operation at voltage conversion ratios (VCR) of less than 0.1, with the added benefit of consolidating all power switches onto a single chip. This reduction in the PCB footprint enhances phase-control precision, presenting a significant advancement in power converter technology.
Gael Pillonnet, scientific director of CEA-Leti’s Silicon Component Division, highlighted the strategic integration of additional capacitive-based converter stages before and after the piezoelectric DC-DC converter.
This integration contributes to further performance improvements, reducing the demand for piezoelectric material and resulting in a more compact converter with a notably smaller total volume.
“The DC-DC converter, particularly in the low VCR range, which was a focus of our work, has widespread applications in various sectors, such as high-power computing servers, automotive systems, USB chargers, and battery-powered devices,” Pillonnet stated.
Incorporating capacitive-based converter stages enhances performance and minimizes the demand for piezoelectric materials, allowing for a more compact design.
Potential applications of the DSPPR Converter
“The DC-DC converter, particularly in the low VCR range, which was a focus of our work, has widespread applications in various sectors, such as high-power computing servers, automotive systems, USB chargers, and battery-powered devices,” said Wen-Chin Brian Liu, the paper’s lead author and a Ph.D. student in Mercier’s research group.
Developing compact piezoelectric-based DC-DC converters represents a significant leap forward as the electronics industry evolves towards smaller, more efficient devices.
The study shows that integrating advanced technology promises enhanced performance and opens up new possibilities for the widespread adoption of this groundbreaking power conversion solution in various electronic devices, from smartphones and computers to server farms and AR/VR headsets.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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Vibration-powered micro converters: The future of energy