Innovative energy harvesting platform based on induction

E-peas continues to innovate in the energy harvesting sector - this time through cooperation with TCT. By bringing together TCT’s engineering expertise in ferromagnetic cores with the company’s popular AEMS series of ultra-low-power PMICs, the two companies have been able to produce an innovative energy harvesting platform based on induction. This will have immense potential within building automation and smart-grid deployments.

The video below demonstrates a compact TCT current generator accompanied by an e-peas AEM30940 PMIC. This current generator can be placed onto an electricity cable (carrying a few amps of AC current). Through induction, it will be able to harvest energy from the AC current passing through the cable, with the PMIC (in combination with a semi-active rectifier) converting and managing the current produced. The DC current will consequently be employed to power a connected hardware device incorporating multiple sensors and BLE beacon connectivity. An LED indicator is incorporated to show that this is in operation.

“By using inductance, battery-less control and monitoring units will have the functionality needed to draw energy from electrical cabling that is already deployed. The logistical difficulties of having to periodically replace battery cells can be completely avoided, presenting facilities management with greater convenience and lower operational costs,” states Alexandre Decombejean, sales manager at TCT. “The energy harvester attached to the cable is built around a specific soft magnetic material core with high permeability, and will reach an elevated output voltage even with a low current.”

“We have already been able to validate the effectiveness of e-peas technology in harvesting energy from thermal, vibrational, RF and photovoltaic sources. Now, by combining our technology with TCT’s, we have the ability to do so via inductance,” adds Christian Ferrier, CMO of e-peas. “This opens up an array of exciting new market opportunities for us as a leader company in energy harvesting and processing solutions.”