RF Energy Harvesting and Transport for Wireless Sensor Network Applications: Principles and Requirements

This paper presents an overview of principles and requirements for powering wireless sensors by radio-frequency (RF) energy harvesting or transport. The feasibility of harvesting is discussed, leading to the conclusion that RF energy transport is preferred for powering small sized sensors. These sensors are foreseen in future Smart Buildings. Transmitting in the ISM frequency bands, respecting the transmit power limits ensures that the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) exposure limits are not exceeded. With the transmit side limitations being explored, the propagation channel is next discussed, leading to the observation that a better than free-space attenuation may be achieved in indoors line-of-sight environments. Then, the components of the rectifying antenna (rectenna) are being discussed: rectifier, dc-dc boost converter, and antenna. The power efficiencies of all these rectenna subcomponents are being analyzed and finally some examples are shown. To make RF energy transport a feasible powering technology for low-power sensors, a number of precautions need to be taken. The propagation channel characteristics need to be taken into account by creating an appropriate transmit antenna radiation pattern. All subcomponents of the rectenna need to be impedance matched, and the power transfer efficiencies of the rectifier and the boost converter need to be optimized.