EH-IOT Energy harvesting enabled smart power supply for condition monitoring
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About the project
This project focuses on the implementation of thermal energy harvesting for industrial monitoring applications. It aims to conduct a competitor analysis to demonstrate the effectiveness of TEGnology’s product’s performance.
Energy harvesting products are being integrated into the sensor applications of four industrial partners. They replace the batteries that are usually used and which can have maintenance and reliability issues. This solution offers a more sustainable approach for an increasingly digitalised market segment.
Challenges
All partners in this consortium provide sensor solutions that enable monitoring independent of the nearest power grid. Those solutions are usually battery powered. Batteries present challenges in terms of the need to regularly replace them, problems with reliability in harsh conditions and questions around their sustainability.
Thermal energy harvesting enables battery-free sensor solutions, reducing maintenance costs while maximising reliability and extending the sensor’s lifespan.
The cost of replacing a battery in this context ranges from EUR 100 to EUR 1 000. This is significantly greater than the initial cost of the battery itself. The high price results from the costs of transportation, organising the service visit and potential interruption of production. Additionally, a battery change can damage the system.
Knowing exactly when to change the battery is complex, especially in harsh environments. The product’s thermal energy harvesting power supplies offer convenience and reliability in hard-to-reach places, while saving both direct and indirect costs.
Solutions
Thermal energy harvesting is feasible when there is a temperature difference between two surfaces or between a surface and the surrounding air, which can be converted into electrical energy to power the sensor system. The identified use cases for this project include solar panels, heat exchangers and solar heaters, all of which provide ideal conditions for thermal energy harvesting.
The power requirements for monitoring heat exchangers are relatively high compared to those for monitoring solar panels. However, there is a suitable match between the more expensive power solution for the low-volume application and the more cost-effective solution for the high-volume solar energy application.
In both scenarios, the return on investment (ROI) for the implemented solution is expected to be within two to three years, with market introduction planned for Q1 2025.
Expected results
This project is expected to result in at least three products entering the market in 2025. They will all be based on TEGnology’s thermal energy harvesting technology in combination with customers’ sensor solutions. They will be designed to address the needs of three different market segments in industry.
Market introduction is planned within the first half of 2025 and it is estimated that 100 to 1000 power units will be sold. During the second half of 2025, it is planned that sales will ramp up, with an estimated order volume of 1000 within the heat exchanger market and up to 10 000 within the solar panel and solar heater segments.
