energy harvesting technology and applications
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Team 2 AFRL WSN Health Diagnostic. Energy Harvesting Technology and Applications. Introduction. What is energy harvesting? The process by which energy is derived from external sources Why use energy harvesting? Renewable source Allows for remote charging in applications. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Energy Harvesting Technology and Applications
Team 2AFRL WSN Health Diagnostic
Introduction What is energy harvesting?
The process by which energy is derived from external sources
Why use energy harvesting?Renewable sourceAllows for remote charging in applications
Energy Harvesting Background Energy harvesters provide a very small amount
of power for low-energy electronics The energy source for energy harvesters is
present as ambient background and is freeAs opposed to large-scale energy
generation which costs money
Why Use Energy Harvesting Technology? Converted energy can be stored in a
capacitor for short-term use or a battery for long-term use.
Allows for the battery (or a charger) to be taken out of the equation of an application since it sources energy from the environment
Ways to Harvest Energy Materials
Piezoelectric Pyroelectric Photovolatics
Other Kinetic Energy RF Energy
Piezoelectric Effect (Pressure) Converts mechanical
strain to electric current
Produces power on the order of mW
Useful for small applications Handheld devices Light bulbs
Human Motion Acoustic Noise Vibrations Pressure
Pyroelectric Effect
Converts changes in temperatures to electric current
Stable for temperatures above 1200 C⁰
High thermodynamic efficiency
Used in Power Plants Automobiles
Other Kinetic Energy
Converts human and/or natural motion into electric current
Found in Wind Turbines Ocean Wave Buoys Human Motion
Photovoltaic Effect
Also known as solar power
Converts solar radiation into DC
Found just about everywhere and gaining more popularity
RF Energy Harvesting Converts RF signal energy into DC power RF energy is available in a wide array of frequency
bands due to everyday technologies Cell Phones Radio Towers WiFi Routers LaptopsTV Signals
Only a tiny amount of power can be harvested, good for low power applications (Ex: A WiFi router can transmit 50-100mW)
Usually very short distance, however Powercast demonstrated energy harvesting at 1.5 miles
Energy Harvesting and Wireless Sensor Networks Our project uses RF power harvesting
technologies
Why RF Energy Harvesting? Ultra-low power, battery free applications
Perfect for wireless sensor networks
RF Power Sources Intentional Sources
Powercast utilizes a direct RF energy source, dedicated to providing
RF energy for harvesting Anticipated Ambient Sources
Routers, cell phone transmitters Unknown Ambient Sources
Microwave radio links, mobile radios
A Closer Look at a Powercast Sensor Node Module Components & Features
Powercast P2110 Powerharvester™ Receiver MCU: Microchip PIC24 XLP Radio module
▪ Microchip MRF24 (802.15.4)
RF Powerharvester System power: 3.3V Capacitor
▪ 50mF (as low as 3300uF) Discrete sensors: Temp, Humidity, Light Wireless protocol: MiWi™ P2P
Sensor Module System Voltage
Powercaster Transmitter Center Frequency = 915MHz Intentional RF Source Directional Antenna
Complete RF Energy Transmission
P2110 Powerharvester Receiver Efficiency
Packet Frequency vs. Distance from RF Source
Powercast Sensor Performance Overview Optimized RF Powerharvesting for the
transmitter frequency RF Powerharvesting allows for remote
placement of sensor nodes Great performance due to a design that
focuses on minimizing power consumption in each node
Proprietary wireless protocol
Conclusion Power harvesting technologies are
everywhere and efficiencies are vastly improving
Simply look at solar efficiencies Most of the world’s energy in the future
will be generated using power harvesting technologies