Device and method for harvesting energy from a power line magnetic field
AssigneeAclara Technologies LLC
InventorsRichard Desmarais, Richard Martyn, Michael Giovannoni
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An energy harvesting device (CTH) installed in an electrical distribution system (EDS) for powering ancillary electrical devices (AD) used in the distribution system. The device includes a first voltage regulator circuit (CC) configured to produce a voltage matched to a power curve of a current transformer (CT) to which the device is electrically coupled. The device also includes a second and separate voltage regulator circuit (SVR) which continuously operates to maximize the amount of electrical energy recovered from the current transformer.
Claims19
1-16. (canceled)
An energy harvesting device for harvesting electrical energy from an electrical conductor within an electrical distribution system, the device comprising:
- a current transformer in electrical communication with the electrical conductor and configured to convert magnetic flux from the flow of alternating current though the electrical current into a first current;
- a first voltage regulator configured to receive the first current and produce a first voltage;
- a second voltage regulator separate from the first voltage regulator, and configured to operate continuously to maximize the amount of electrical energy recovered from the current transformer by adjusting the first voltage level.
An electrical distribution system comprising:
- an electrical conductor carrying a first electrical energy having a primary voltage to one or more supplied devices;
- a current transformer in proximity to said electrical conductor that generates a secondary voltage having an amplitude that is based on an amplitude of the first electrical energy;
- one or more ancillary devices;
- an energy harvesting device that provides a second electrical energy to said one or more ancillary devices, wherein said energy harvesting device includes a clamping circuit configured to regulate the secondary voltage to a specific level.
An energy harvesting device for providing electrical energy to one or more ancillary devices of an electrical distribution system, the energy harvesting device comprising:
- a microcontroller;
- a first voltage regulator receiving a secondary voltage from a current transformer and configured to clamp the secondary voltage to a predetermined level, wherein said predetermined level is provided by said microcontroller and is based on current operating conditions of the electrical distribution system;
- a secondary voltage regulator that maximizes an amount of power derived from the current transformer by adjusting the amplitude of the secondary voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.