Qpower: Home Energy Monitoring System using Inductively Harvested

Wireless Power

Abstract The Qpower system uses wirelessly harvested energy from circuit breaker boxes to monitor home energy usage. The goal is to change the user’s energy consumption behavior by providing them with real-time update on their household consumption. The system requires zero maintenance once installed. Our project focuses on research and development of the Qpower system and to prepare it to be presented at the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge in March 2012.

How it worksProposed System

Kyle Nakano, Nomin Oyun, Long Thai, Genevieve Vigil

Future TechnologyIntroOur proposed system will be composed of an energy harvesting and power storage element which will deliver power to a microcontroller. This device will upload periodic updates of the home energy consumption to the Google power meter, which can be accessed from any internet capable device.

UW: Leader in Sustainable Technology

We intend to present our system, Qpower, at the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge which will allow us the opportunity to expose our system to a broader audience.

The same technology that drives the Qpower system can be applied to future wireless power technology. Wireless power technology offers the promise of cutting the last cord, allowing users to seamlessly recharge mobile devices as easily as data is transmitted through the air.

UW Environmental Innovation Challenge

Future Work

These days, everyone wants to save energy. One way is to promote conscious power consumption in their homes. There already exists system which lets users monitor their power usage, however they are constrained by battery life and difficult user interfaces.

• A home energy monitoring system utilizing inductively harvested wireless power

• Present at University of Washington Environmental Innovation Challenge

• Battery free• Promotes power economy

Motivation

We Propose Qpower:

Fig.2 The proposed Qpower design in which the inductive harvester gathers energy to power the MCU which transmits data to PC

Fig. 3 Comparison between actual power usage and projected power usages in monitored households

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Energy Savings for Monitored Homes

Actual Usage Predicted Usage

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Fig. 1 Example analysis of home electricity use with an energy monitoring system

The Pacific North West is at the forefront of sustainability and technological advances as well. This resonates in the UW innovation community and Qpower is the epitome of a product that embodies both spirits of sustainability and technological innovation.

When current travels through a conductor, such as a power line going into a house, an electromagnetic field is induced around the wire by the right-hand rule. Most households are supplied by AC power, ergo any power line carrying current into a household will have an oscillating magnetic field around it.

An inductor placed close to the conductor can start to induce alternating current. Using this alternating current, we can use power electronics to power the rest of the system.

Fig.4 Magnetic Field is induced as current travels through a conductor

Fig.5 Alternating current is induced by inductive-coupling

University of Washington