Vibro-Electric Converter (VEC)

To address this U.S. Navy need for an energy harvesting technology for a 3 in. diameter buoy that floats free on the ocean surface and needs extended mission time, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop the new Vibro-Electric Converter (VEC) technology, based on alternating induced electric charges in oscillating variable capacitors. POC’s proposed VEC harvests the energy of ocean waves and converts it to a charge in a battery without the need for any external source of charge or electric voltage. The innovative VEC design will result in a powerful energy source, producing over 7.5 mW per module, while being lightweight (<2 lb.) and compact (about 400 cu. cm) due to POC’s proprietary technology for the permanent prepolarization of electrodes with a very high charge density. Because of the contactless displacement of a single lightweight moving part, VEC will work longer than any rechargeable battery. In Phase I POC will design, build, evaluate, and demonstrate the proof-of-concept VEC prototype, and in Phase II, develop, build, and demonstrate performance of VEC prototype in a real environment with a small buoy.