How to power the future world: wireless transmission or mainstream

Getting rid of the wires doesn't just mean that cable suppliers are no longer needed. Due to the development of wireless high-power transmission technology, robots and industrial machines that were once limited by power outlets began to truly experience freedom.

There are some signs in a broader market that indicate that the future will not be limited by cables. These signs point to the same fact: the power cords that were once needed for industrial applications and charging electric vehicles are being phased out by history. They are being replaced by wireless transmissions, a technology that has grown rapidly due to the large amount of R&D investment and the emergence of many electric machines that have been prepared for technological disruption.

Consumer products have begun to adopt wireless transmission technologies on a large scale, such as smart phones, electric toothbrushes, etc., because this feature is more popular than previous technologies. But so far, the development of industrial wireless transmission has been hampered because the transmission of more power in kilowatts requires better management components and consistent open standard design compared to the small wattage required for small consumer electronics. Architecture and more powerful materials.

未来世界如何供电:无线传输或成主流

With the development of industrial automation and autonomous systems, the push for high-power wireless transmission technology has accelerated in the past few years. Wireless power will also have a place in the Industrial Internet of Things, which is rapidly expanding the range of connected machines, computers and sensors, making everything that encompasses healthcare, aircraft and energy production smarter and more efficient.

Wireless transmission technology eliminates the need for plugs and connectors, making these devices more mobile and fully sealed, allowing them to operate reliably in a variety of challenging and challenging environments. Imagine that the manufacturing robot will be able to move autonomously between stations and charge at a convenient time and place.

Manish, an engineer who studies the basic components needed for wireless transmission systems, said: "Wireless transmission technology is the future. In the autonomous applications of the factory, robotics, aerospace and automotive, when we get rid of the power cord, each Opportunities are all possible.

未来世界如何供电:无线传输或成主流

Long-standing dreams become a reality

Since the emergence of power tools and other industrial electronic devices more than 100 years ago, we have been using wires to connect, they are winding and winding, passing through the floor and countertops.

But these wires also bring a variety of problems that limit the mobility of the device. Even the best design can be weak due to the wires, because water, dirt and air can be carried into the connector, while continuous insertion and removal also increases equipment wear. In addition, on the factory floor and elsewhere, wires are also a major source of danger for people and machines passing by.

Since the emergence of the first electric innovations, the idea of ​​wireless power has always been an impossible dream. Nikola Tesla, an embarrassing and distinguished inventor, envisioned a global radio network that allows the machine to draw current through wireless access. But his experiment failed. Throughout the twentieth century, others have been stagnating in terms of power transmission, and in recent years they have only begun to see the possibility of wireless transmission.

Coupling through air delivery

Wireless power transmission systems work through what is known as inductive charging. Briefly, based on this system, the coils in the transmitter can be coupled to coils in remote receivers that are several inches or feet away, which together form a virtual transformer. The transmitter emits electromagnetic energy that induces current in the receiver. This current can be used to charge a battery connected to the receiving coil.

Of course, the actual wireless transmission system is much more complicated, and it also presents a series of challenges for the application to handle more power at the center of manufacturing and automotive components. The current is converted several times, the antenna amplifies the electromagnetic wave, and the dedicated diode controls the current for safe transmission and use.

Operating brain

The key to making this complex system work is to place the digital brain in a central position to control the frequency, amplitude, and phase of the electromagnetic waves. This has become even more important in kilowatt-class industrial processes and charging of electric vehicles.

TI's C2000TM real-time microcontrollers (MCUs) are a key component that many companies rely on. It is a small microcontroller that sits on the transmitter and receiver and communicates via Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® for managing current. The C2000 MCU automatically adjusts the system by sensing the transmitter's input voltage, battery requirements, and other factors to accommodate changing power demands and supplies.

Taiwan KNOWMAX Technology Co., Ltd. is one of the leaders in the wireless transmission industry using the C2000 MCU's built-in intelligent control function. The company has several patents for integrating cutting-edge wireless charging technology into electrical systems.

Tank Huang, KNOWMAX's project manager, said: "TI's C2000 MCU gives us the flexibility to adapt the system to different market needs. This component can truly control our power stage so that we can transmit power as efficiently as possible."

In order to achieve the key equipment needed for high-power wireless transmission, TI's researchers are aiming to become market leaders and are pushing components to enable them to intelligently cope with the continuous increase in transmission rate and the distance between the transmitter and receiver. Increased requirements. Through these efforts to improve wireless transmission engineering, we expect to deploy them in robotics, industrial facilities and warehouse vehicles, electric vehicles, and larger fleets and construction vehicles.

Chris, C2000 MCU product marketing engineer, said: "I didn't mean to say this, but now for us in the field of wireless transmission, the air has been electrified. Engineers will soon no longer need to find high-voltage sockets for their solutions. The best location. Consumers will drive electric cars that don't need to be plugged in. Factory employees will work with wireless charging robots. When you think about this, TI is developing a way for everyone and all industries on the planet. The technology used."