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EnerPak Energy Harvester - Power Management for WSN's
Solving Energy Harvesting Power Management for Wireless Sensor Networks
Quite simply, the EnerPak solves the energy harvesting power problem for wireless sensor networks (WSN). Applications requiring complex data sets, continuous monitoring of data, and high frequency of data communications have power requirements that can not be accommodated with primary batteries or most other energy harvesting-based power supplies. These power hungry applications quickly exhaust the capacity of primary batteries, requiring frequent replacement. Typical power storage devices such as thin film batteries and supercapacitors lack sufficient capacity. Rechargeable/secondary power storage such as lithium batteries lack sufficient recharge cycle lifetimes. As a result, there is a growing need for more useful and long-lived power to address these demanding WSN powering applications.
The EnerPak power management system optimally extracts energy from different types of energy harvesters and efficiently manages the utilization of the extracted energy through a unique combination of optimall
y sized supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries. The result is that EnerPak delivers both the peak and sustained power levels expected in power-demanding industrial and military wireless sensor network applications—and it will provide this power continuously throughout the life of the sensor.
The longest running field test of energy harvesting-based power supplies validates the EnerPak performance. In a data acquisition environment where primary batteries were exhausted in less than eight weeks, eight pre-production EnerPaks integrated with small solar cells have been powering eight electric utility substation transformer gas sensors operating in a mesh WSN since September 2008. Each EnerPak has achieved over 75,000 discharge-charge cycles, and counting, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Absolutely no failures have occurred in the power supplies exposed to this relatively harsh, southwest environment.
The EnerPak power management system optimally extracts energy from different types of energy harvesters and efficiently manages the utilization of the extracted energy through a unique combination of optimall
y sized supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries. The result is that EnerPak delivers both the peak and sustained power levels expected in power-demanding industrial and military wireless sensor network applications—and it will provide this power continuously throughout the life of the sensor. The longest running field test of energy harvesting-based power supplies validates the EnerPak performance. In a data acquisition environment where primary batteries were exhausted in less than eight weeks, eight pre-production EnerPaks integrated with small solar cells have been powering eight electric utility substation transformer gas sensors operating in a mesh WSN since September 2008. Each EnerPak has achieved over 75,000 discharge-charge cycles, and counting, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Absolutely no failures have occurred in the power supplies exposed to this relatively harsh, southwest environment.
The EnerPak power supply is compatible with a variety of energy harvesters, employing discrete components coupled with the optimally rated supercapacitors and rechargeable battery for a given application. The circuit can easily be incorporated into an integrated circuit of its own, or integrated into other sensor, microcontroller, harvester, or energy storage devices.
This alleviates the need for end users to delay their WSN applications awaiting breakthroughs in transducer performance and sensor power levels—these applications can be addressed today with EnerPak. In addition, TPL has integrated a photovoltaic-powered EnerPak with a high-resolution digital video camera to achieve a self-powered, wireless surveillance system.
TPL is seeking opportunities with end users, systems integrators, harvested energy generator companies, sensor manufacturers, and rechargeable batteries and supercapacitor companies to integrate EnerPak technology into their products.
This alleviates the need for end users to delay their WSN applications awaiting breakthroughs in transducer performance and sensor power levels—these applications can be addressed today with EnerPak. In addition, TPL has integrated a photovoltaic-powered EnerPak with a high-resolution digital video camera to achieve a self-powered, wireless surveillance system.
TPL is seeking opportunities with end users, systems integrators, harvested energy generator companies, sensor manufacturers, and rechargeable batteries and supercapacitor companies to integrate EnerPak technology into their products.
Applications
EnerPak Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Applications
- Conditions-based equipment monitoring
- Unattended Ground Sensor Networks
- Wireless video surveillance networks
- Industrial Automation
- Petrochemical plant WSN’s
- Pipeline and tank farm monitoring
Benefits
- Delivers peak and sustained power levels needed for robust WSN operation
- Exceptional long, self-powered life of 15-20 years
- Eliminates costs of primary batteries and their replacement
- Power available when source of harvested energy is not
- Significant power available even at -20 C
- Can be easily integrated into harvesters, sensors, integrated circuits or other devices
- Maximizes limited amount of harvested energy available
- Software control facilitates future upgrades and changes
- Proven and ready for integration today
Features
- Input Voltage Range: 1.7 -7.0 V AC or DC
- Minimum Input Power: 250mW
- Output Power: 25mW up to 1 W pulse
- Output Voltage: Programmable, 2.75-9.0 VDC
- Form factor, discrete: two AA batteries
- Form factor, integrated: fully integrated circuit with additional supercapacitors & secondary battery
- Approximately 500,000 charge + discharge cycles
- -20 to 60 C continuous operating temperature range
- Operation with solar, vibration, thermal and other energy harvester inputs
- Operation and management with multiple, different, energy harvester inputs
- Operation with multiple types of secondary battery technologies, i.e. lithium-polymer and thin film
- Operation with multiple supercapacitor values
- Can be tailored to optimize specific powering needs
