Non-Solar Remote Environmental Energy Power Generator

Remote field seismic or vibrations sensors typically use solar power or batteries to power operations. DARPA has identified the need to augment or replace these power sources with a device that produces power independent of solar energy. Specifically, DDARPA is searching for new low power device technology that harvests energy from existing field environments. AZ Technology's novel concept is design of an array type device, less than 50 cm3 in volume, that will use available low temperature environmental energy to generate greater than 10 milliwatts of power during times when solar dependent generators are non-functional (night or north facing hill). This power will be used to trickle charge a capacitor or battery to provide sensor power or pulsed 1-5 watt data transmission. During Phase I, AZ Technology will design and demonstrate, through prototype development, an innovative thermoelectric based field remote environment energy scavenging thermoelectric generator (ESTEG). Phase I efforts will completer a thermal/power analysis on our innovative design. Feasibility will be demonstrated by fabricating a prototype module that generates non-solar power related energy at greater than 0.20-0.5 milliwatts/cm3.