Enhancing the energy harvesting of micro-notched turbine for applications in low power devices

It is the future trend to energize small home appliances, medical devices, micro-devices, etc. through miniature generation. Micro-Notched turbine (MiNT) converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for portal devices. The current challenge is to harness the maximum energy by modifying its design, model, blade size, and casing. The MiNT presented in this research is one of the few specialized miniature harvesters with desirable characteristics and the potential to be optimized for maximum power generation. To reap maximum benefit from MiNT, the design of the turbine, the shape of the blades, and the tracking system were modified. Similarly, the size of the MiNT turbine was decreased, and its efficiency was enhanced. In this research, the particle swarm optimization algorithm and resistor emulation technique were employed to enhance Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). Meanwhile, the converter efficiency was also observed. For the validation of results, the proposed technique was compared with passive MPPT and adaptive MPPT techniques. During the simulation, micro-notched-based energy collection devices with upgraded MPPT technology were used. By implementing this hybrid system, the maximum power point was accurately tracked, resulting in improved power output, reduced system size, and improved converter efficiency.