LINEAR LTC3588 User Guide and Manual
Summary
Implement robust, battery-free wireless sensor networks using advanced ambient energy harvesting technology. This guide details a reliable power solution that captures mechanical, thermal, or electromagnetic energy from the local environment, eliminating the need for frequent battery replacements. Ideal for engineers designing remote monitoring systems, asset tracking solutions, and industrial IoT devices requiring high efficiency and ultra-low power consumption.
Page 1 Text Content
April 2010 Volume 20 Number 1
Energy Harvester Produces Power
our new look 2
from Local Environment, Eliminating
dual output step-down regulator with DCR sensing in a 5mm × 5mm QFN 9 Batteries in Wireless Sensors
Michael Whitaker
accurate battery gas gauges with I2C interface 12
Advances in low power technology are making it easier to create wireless sensor networks in a wide range of applications, from
dual buck regulator operates outside of remote sensing to HVAC monitoring, asset tracking and industrial AM radio band 20
automation. The problem is that even wireless sensors require batteries that must be regularly replaced—a costly and cumbersome
eight 16-bit VOUT DACs in a maintenance project. A better wireless power solution would be to 4mm × 5mm QFN 24
harvest ambient mechanical, thermal or electromagnetic energy from the sensor’s local environment.
dual-phase converter for
1.2V at 50A with DCR Typically, harvestable ambient power is on the order of tens of microwatts, so energy harvesting
sensing 28 requires careful power management in order to successfully capture microwatts of ambient power
and store it in a useable energy reservoir. One common form of ambient energy is mechanical
vibration energy, which can be caused by motors running in a factory, airflow across a fan blade or even by a moving vehicle. A piezoelec- tric transducer can be used to convert these forms of vibration energy into electrical energy, which in turn can be used to power circuitry.
To manage the energy harvesting and the energy release to the system, the LTC®3588-1 piezoelectric energy harvesting power supply (Figure 1) integrates a low loss internal bridge rectifier with a synchronous step- down DC/DC converter. It uses an efficient energy harvesting algorithm to collect and store energy from high impedance piezoelectric elements, which can have short-circuit currents on the order of tens of microamps.
Energy harvesting systems must often support peak load currents that are much higher than a piezoelectric element can produce, so the LTC3588-1 accumulates energy that can be released to the load in
Piezoelectric energy harvesting power supply
short power bursts. Of course, for continuous operation these power
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Page Summary Contents For LINEAR LTC3588 User Guide and Manual
Manual Details
| Brand | Linear |
|---|---|
| Pages | 6 |
| File Size | 1.20 MB |
| Published | June 02, 2026 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of energy sources can the LTC3588-1 harvest?
It can harvest from ambient mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, and piezoelectric vibration sources.
How does the LTC3588-1 manage collected energy for continuous operation?
It uses a low loss internal bridge rectifier and synchronous step-down DC/DC converter to store energy in a useable reservoir.
What is the key feature for maintaining ultra-low power consumption?
The device offers an undervoltage lockout (UVLO) mode, allowing quiescent current as low as 950nA.
Can multiple piezo sources be used with this module?
Yes, multiple piezoelectric elements can connect via external diodes to the V pin, supporting combined energy harvesting.