Robust Control Architecture for Waste Heat Harvesting with Non-Inverting Buck-Boost Converter

Thermoelectric generators (TEG) can be used to harvest wasted heat. TEGs are characterized by a wide output voltage range and a considerable output resistance leading to a maximum power point dependent on the working temperature. Non-Inverting Buck-Boost converter is used to manage, from one side, the wide voltage range, and from the other a battery. This article investigates a robust control architecture to recover the maximum energy from the exhaust's heat avoiding instability issues and maximizing converter efficiency