MPPT in wireless sensor nodes supply systems based on electromagnetic vibration harvesters for freight wagons applications

The starting point for the proper design of an efficient wireless sensor node (WSN) supply system that is based on the adoption of a resonant electromagnetic vibration energy harvester (REVEH) is represented by the choice of a REVEH with a proper resonance frequency. But further likewise important design guidelines need to be also taken into account especially if, as in the case of freight wagons applications, vibrations are nonsinusoidal and their characteristics change with time. In this paper, the guidelines leading to the development of a smart power electronics interface between the REVEH and the WSN are provided with reference to freight wagons applications. In particular, for the most widely used double stage ac/dc architecture for REVEH applications, such guidelines not only allow the choice of the proper dc/dc converter topology, but they also allow the development of a suitable maximum power point tracking control strategy that allows to avoid the waste of energy and the consequent necessity to oversize the REVEH.