Energy harvesting of dipole rectenna for airship applications

摘要

There are several potential candidate energy harvesting technologies for smart actuators and devices, such as space vehicles, high altitude airships, MAVs (Micro-Aero Vehicles), and smart robots. Smart material actuators have actively been developed during the last couples of decades for controlling flow-fields over aircraft wings, shape changes for step-motions, or discrete motion of actuators, but their applications as a practical system are limited due to hardwire circuits and high voltage requirements. The wired power configuration provides lack of maneuverability of the system, especially it is not possible for micro aerial vehicles (MAVs), space vehicles, and airship applications. In addition, the hard wiring may not be a suitable solution due to the network complexity. Moreover, the weight increase may be attributed to the a wired network, the complex gate switching of power and control networks needed, and the interdependency of power and control routines needed. Flexible dipole rectenna devices appeared to be attractive for various applications because of the adaptability on complex structures; possibility for higher power density features, and ability of high coupling efficiency. In this paper, design concepts and results for various flexible dipole rectennas as well as effects of incident angle of microwave energy on rectennas will be discussed including their efficiencies. The discussion will also include the effects of distance between microwave source and rectennas on airship vehicles. Using the result, some applications of the system will also be addressed.