Energiankerääminen

Energiankerääminen, often translated as energy harvesting or energy scavenging, refers to the process of capturing small amounts of ambient energy from the environment and converting it into usable electrical power. This collected energy is typically used to power low-power electronic devices, such as wireless sensors, microcontrollers, or implantable medical devices. The goal is to create self-sustaining systems that do not require traditional batteries or frequent recharging, thereby extending device lifespan and reducing maintenance needs.

Various energy sources can be utilized for energiankerääminen. These include kinetic energy, which can be harvested from vibrations, motion, or mechanical stress using piezoelectric or electromagnetic transducers. Solar energy is another common source, captured by photovoltaic cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. Thermal energy can be scavenged from temperature gradients using thermoelectric generators. Radio frequency (RF) energy, present in ambient radio waves from broadcasting or wireless communication systems, can also be collected using rectennas.

The amount of power generated through energiankerääminen is usually very small, often in the microwatt or milliwatt range. Therefore, efficient energy conversion and storage mechanisms are crucial. This often involves specialized power management integrated circuits (PMICs) that can handle low input voltages and efficiently charge small energy storage devices like supercapacitors or rechargeable batteries. The development of miniaturized and highly efficient harvesting modules is key to enabling widespread adoption of battery-less electronic devices in various applications.