Dévice Solar-Exclusif, sans Batteries, qui Récupère de l'Énergie à partir d'un Photodiode BPW34
In the realm of low-power electronics, the Solar_nRF system is making waves. This innovative device, developed by Pocket Concepts, integrates a BPW34 photodiode, BQ25504 energy harvester, Nordic nRF chip, and I2C thermometer for ultra-low-power applications in battery-free, solar-powered sensing and IoT communication tasks.
At the heart of the Solar_nRF system lies an energy harvester that stores power in a capacitor. When the capacitor is fully charged, a toggled battery-good pin drives a MOSFET that powers downstream electronics. As the capacitor discharges, it loses power, turning off the battery-good pin and causing downstream electronics to become unpowered.
This charge-discharge cycle is crucial for the system's operation. When the capacitor is recharged, the cycle begins anew. According to calculations by Pocket Concepts, a 37 uF capacitor provides enough power for a single cycle, while a 100 uF capacitor allows for between one and three transmissions with a single charge.
The Solar_nRF device uses the BPW34 photodiodes instead of batteries due to its low power budget. The BPW34 silicon PIN photodiode provides a small voltage that feeds into a BQ25504 ultra-low-power boost converter energy harvester.
The Nordic nRF chip, initializes and reads the current temperature from an attached I2C thermometer. Once it has the temperature data, it sends out a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertising packet containing the temperature data. This makes the Solar_nRF device an ideal tool for creating battery-free environmental monitoring nodes, intermittent data loggers, and energy-aware condition monitoring systems.
Moreover, the system's simplicity and focus on extremely low power consumption and intermittent operation make it perfect for teaching about ultra-low-power embedded systems and environmental energy scavenging.
Pocket Concepts has also provided resources for further exploration. They suggest checking out the Ultra low power energy harvester from BPW34 on the website.io for low-power project ideas. Additionally, they recommend ESP32 Turned Handy SWD Flasher For NRF52 Chips and Ground Off Part Number Leads To Chip Detective Work for other applications of Nordic nRF chips.
In a video, Pocket Concepts invites viewers to share their own project ideas for potential applications of the Solar_nRF device. With its unique design and versatile capabilities, the Solar_nRF system is sure to inspire a new generation of low-power, battery-free IoT projects.
The Solar_nRF system, operating in the realm of low-power electronics, is intrinsically linked to science, particularly in the areas of energy harvesting and intermittent operation, making it an excellent tool for teaching about ultra-low-power embedded systems. By using the BPW34 photodiodes and Nordic nRF chips, this device caters to data-and-cloud-computing applications in battery-free, solar-powered sensing and IoT communication tasks, providing potential for environmental-science projects in monitoring nodes and energy-aware condition systems.
