Development of self-powered thermoelectric based RF transmitter circuit

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) converts heat energy into electrical energy when there is a temperature gradient between top and bottom surface of the device. Generally, large electronic system or electronic display generates heat which dissipate via the surface of the device which may affect the functionality and lifetime of the systems or devices. Therefore, TEG can be used to utilize the heat and converts into useful electrical energy while keeping the temperature down. This paper discusses the application of the TEG in powering an RF transmitter circuit. This mechanism is referred to as self-powering whereby the RF transmitter is powered by the heat itself without the use of a battery. Once the threshold of the voltage, which is 2.9 V is being generated by the TEG, the RF transmitter controller unit will be trigger and a bit signal will be sent to a receiver station at a few meters away. In the experimental setup, hotplate is being used to simulate the heat dissipated from the ambient environment. A power conditioning circuit for the TEG is also presented in this paper.