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tech.com
May, 2016
Futuristic Trends in Battery Charging Technology By Edward McMahon, CEO, Epec Engineered Technologies
(compound annual growth rate) of 7.8 percent through 2019 as devices continue to proliferate. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries make up the largest segment, and market growth will be driven largely by hybrid and electric cars and batteries for electronic devices. As the need for batteries increases, engineers
T
at Epec Engineered Technologies continue to search for smaller, safer and longer-lasting battery and charging technologies. Recent breakthroughs include lithium-air and lithium-oxygen, barium- titanate, and dual-carbon batteries. Scientific progress is being made in the devel-
opment of new charging methods as well as new batteries. Battery charging relies on solar, wind, hydroelectric, and friction as energy sources, and these technologies present some of the most prom- ising areas of advancement.
Collecting Photons Solar energy not only reduces the cost of heat-
ing and lighting homes and offices, but it also works well for powering small devices in every- thing from medical electronics to remote-controlled window shades, and in-store displays. Photons are the subatomic particles in light and have enough force to push electrons from their orbits in silicon atoms. As the displaced electrons move, they cre- ate a positive and a negative side to the photo- voltaic cell, which also contains boron and phos- phorous to absorb the displaced electrons. This flow of electrons creates an electric current. Early photovoltaic cells were very large and
inefficient, but now are being made smaller, lighter and more flexible. They can even create
Early photovoltaic cells were very large and inefficient, but now are
being made smaller, lighter and more flexible. They can even create
electricity using the relatively weak light from a desk lamp.
electricity using the relatively weak light from a desk lamp. Solar chargers can be found not only in high-tech electronics, but virtually everywhere you look today. For example, a lot of backpacks include solar
panels on the bag with wire channels or USB ports for connecting devices so they remain charged dur- ing travel. There are also lightweight foldable solar chargers capable of charging multiple devices at the same time. Solar charging isn’t just for travelers, howev-
er. Logitech has a line of solar powered PC acces- sories that operate wirelessly and charge easily in typical ambient room lighting. This technology is particularly useful in medical applications where
A solar panel draws energy from the sun to a mobile device.
power has been used to provide power to boats and marine systems. There even exists a portable wind charger designed to power cell phones and mobile devices for travelers. One example is the Trinity wind charger, which is a tube about a foot long. Blades and legs fold into the tube when it’s not in use, and make it convenient to carry. Simple to set up, it can store enough energy to charge a cell phone four to six times. It even allows the user to bypass the battery and hook a device directly to the charger. The Gotwind and the PowerTraveler PowerMonkey are similar devices, although in a different form factor. The PowerMonkey has an optional mount to attach it to bicycles. It is only 3.5in (8.9cm) in length and weighs about 10oz. The Hymini is a hybrid device that uses both
solar and wind for charging. It can also be cranked by hand to charge if there is no wind or sun. This device is small enough to clip to a belt or hand- hold, and it comes with a variety of adapters for different devices. Zephyr Energy Corporation’s patented
Windbeam micro generator stands out as a new technology that is well-suited for many applica- tions. Unlike wind turbines, the Windbeam does not rely on spinning blades to recharge batteries and power electronic devices. The Windbeam generator consists of a light-
weight beam suspended by durable springs within an outer frame. The beam oscillates rapidly when exposed to airflow. A linear alternator assembly converts the oscillating beam motion into usable electrical energy. Because there are no bearings or gears, frictional inefficiencies and noise have been effectively eliminated. The Windbeam’s novel design allows it to operate silently in wind speeds as low as 2mph. The generator can operate in low- light environments unsuitable for solar panels
Zephyr Energy Corporation’s patented Windbeam.
into flowing water, the turbine generates electrici- ty stored in the attached battery. According to the manufacturer, an hour in the water generates about 10 hours of talk time for a cell phone.
Friction Charging Friction excites electrons and causes them to
move between objects, which generates electricity. Friction-generated electricity is easily experienced when walking across a carpet, or pulling on a sweater — which usually results in very visible stat- ic charging. Researchers at Georgia Tech recently devel-
Continued on page 59
he global market for batteries today exceeds $83 billion, and according to research from the Fredonia Group, it will grow at a CAGR
the devices can be charged using room lighting, thereby saving electricity. At CES 2016, recent solar powered innovations included a new camera from Activeon and a solar powered lantern from Secur. To produce energy for charging, a wind tur- bine drives a permanent magnet alternator con- nected to a battery bank through a rectifier. Wind
(e.g. HVAC ducts/exhausts and commercial refrig- eration exhaust) and utilizes low-cost components and simple construction. The scalable technology can be modified to satisfy the energy requirements and design constraints of a wide range of applica- tions. This technology is especially interesting because it can take the exhaust or excess energy from a number of different operations and turn it into power, which makes an entire system signifi- cantly more energy-efficient.
Hydroelectric Power Hydro power uses the energy from the flow of
water to create electricity. It is usually site-specif- ic since it is difficult to carry a stream of water around. However, the city of Seoul, South Korea, has solved this problem by installing a series of hydro powered charging stations driven by tur- bines to charge the large volumes of mobile devices for its citizens and visitors on the go. These sta- tions typically take two or three hours to charge a cellphone. Hydroelectricity by its nature is more suited
to stationary applications, but it can be used to charge something more portable, such as a battery pack. This type of power is useful for boats and other marine applications, including scientific equipment used to study marine life. Even though the water source might be sta-
tionary, a charger can be made portable enough to bring to the water. The Blue Freedom hydro power generator is small and lightweight enough to fit in a backpack for camping and hiking. When tossed
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