Energy harvesting is currently a hot research topic, mainly as a consequence of the\nincreasing attractiveness of computing and sensing solutions based on small, low-power distributed\nembedded systems. Harvesting may enable systems to operate in a deploy-and-forget mode,\nparticularly when power grid is absent and the use of rechargeable batteries is unattractive due to\ntheir limited lifetime and maintenance requirements. This paper focuses on wind flow as an energy\nsource feasible to meet the energy needs of a small autonomous embedded system. In particular the\ncontribution is on the electrical converter and system integration. We characterize the micro-wind\nturbine, we define a detailed model of its behaviour, and then we focused on a highly efficient circuit\nto convert wind energy into electrical energy. The optimized design features an overall volume\nsmaller than 64 cm3. The core of the harvester is a high efficiency buck-boost converter which\nperforms an optimal power point tracking. Experimental results show that the wind generator boosts\nefficiency over a wide range of operating conditions.
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