Appliance Design - September 2007 - (Page 8) NEWS WATCH he concept of energy harvesting is reaping a lot of attention these days, much of it fueled by surging interest in wireless networking and wireless devices. All of these wireless network nodes and devices must operate on battery power, making low power consumption a critical imperative. One of the ways to extend battery life in such applications is to scavenge any energy available in either the application or the environment. There are a number of methods for accomplishing this, with more to come down the road. Current approaches include: 4Solar. Converting available light into electricity with photovoltaic cells. 4Thermal. Converting waste heat into electricity with thermoelectric modules using the Seebeck effect. 4Mechanical. Converting motion, vibration, or noise into electricity with piezoelectric materials or electroactive polymers. While the intent in most cases is to prolong battery life, in some applications, where T HARVESTING ENERGY Perpetuum’s energy-harvesting microgenerators. the device is small enough and the energy source great enough, such scavenging has the potential to eliminate the need for a battery altogether. In either case, the whole concept is expected to become a hot and highly competitive market. That projection is underscored in recent research by the Darnell Group, Corona, Calif. Published in June, the 62-page report contained a competitive analysis of companies involved with energy harvesting, micro bat- teries, and power management ICs. Darnell found that most of the companies getting a jump on “the next big thing” in power management are not well-known in the power supply industry. But, with potential unit sales in the billions, these companies are targeting the low-power sensor and device market. The low-profile companies are poised to have a big impact. The report points out that each of the studied markets is different, with different In Refrigeration Control, BIGGER isn’t always better! Welcome the new generation! At only 3x1.35x2.78 inches, the IR33 packs advanced performances for accurate temperature control in a tiny package! Use it in display cases, reach-in refrigerators, walk-in coolers or many other refrigeration applications and you’ll realize how powerful it is. Speaking of power, its relays can control 3/4 HP loads (at 110V). And, you do not need those INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS & ENERGY SAVINGS external defrost timers, thermostats or anti-sweat controls because IR33 does it all, saving you money. IR33 connects to remote monitoring systems, and even boasts Internet capability so you can access data online or you may simply let the control log data on its own for later reference. CAREL USA 385 S. Oak Street - Manheim, PA 17545 - Phone 717.664.0500 - Fax 717.664.0449 - e-mail: sales@carelusa.com www.carelusa.com For more Information Enter 100 8 AD09074Car2.indd 1 applianceDESIGN September 2007 8/9/07 2:30:55 PM www.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.carelusa.com http://www.carelusa.com http://www.appliancedesign.com
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