Microbial Fuel Cell Sensor Power Boosting Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional environmental information acquisition systems face challenges with power supply reliability, as solar-powered systems are affected by time and weather, while microbial fuel cells provide stable but insufficient power, and complex multistage configurations increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A sensor apparatus incorporating a microbial fuel cell, a boosting DC-DC circuit, and a power storage element to amplify and store power, enabling efficient operation of sensor elements and wireless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solar power is used for environmental information acquisition system, then the system can operate independently, but the operation is easily affected by time of day and weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into multiple independent components: microbial fuel cells for base power generation, boosting DC-DC circuits for voltage amplification, and power storage elements for energy accumulation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while collectively providing reliable and consistent power supply independent of weather conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If microbial fuel cell is used for power supply, then the system operates stably during day and night, but does not generate enough power to operate the environmental information acquisition system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines microbial fuel cells with boosting DC-DC circuits and power storage elements into an integrated power supply system. The microbial fuel cell generates stable base power, the boosting circuit amplifies the voltage to sufficient levels, and the power storage element accumulates energy over time. This merging of components transforms the insufficient power output into adequate power for operating environmental information acquisition systems.
3Power
If microbial fuel cells are formed as multistage unit to increase power generation, then the power generation amount increases, but the configuration becomes complicated and physically large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a boosting DC-DC circuit as an intermediary component between the microbial fuel cell and the load. Instead of increasing the number of microbial fuel cell stages, the boosting circuit acts as a mediator that amplifies the voltage output from a single or few fuel cells to the required level. This approach achieves the desired power generation amount while maintaining simple configuration and compact size.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a stable and efficient power supply for environmental sensing and communication, independent of external power sources, with a simplified configuration that reduces costs and enhances power generation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a microbial fuel cell that uses the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms
Implementation Method 2
a boosting DC-DC circuit that is operated by an input voltage from the microbial fuel cell and boosts the input voltage
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a sensor apparatus and sensor system using a low-power input source such as a microbial fuel cell, provided is a sensor apparatus including a microbial fuel cell; a boosting DC-DC circuit that operates based on an input voltage from the microbial fuel cell and boosts the input voltage; a power storage element that stores power output from the boosting DC-DC circuit; and a sensor element that operates based on power output from the power storage element, as well as a sensor system that includes this sensor apparatus and a wireless communication apparatus.