Wireless transmission system to be tested in New Zealand

New Zealand-based Emrod has received approval from local authorities to test a pilot plant for wireless power transmission using microwaves.

The proposed microwave transmission technology is not only absolutely safe for living organisms, but also has a high efficiency.

Initially, the planned transmission of electricity will be fixed at 2 kW, but then the capacity will be scaled up to acceptable commercial values.

Everything is new well forgotten old

In fact, the idea of ​​transmitting electricity using microwaves is not entirely new. So in the first half of the last century, Straightening antennas were tested, and in the 1960s a microwave-powered helicopter was tested in the USA.

And at the moment, tests of energy transmitting satellites are underway.

But until now, all previous developments have not gone into series for a number of objective reasons.

The main one was the extremely low efficiency, which barely reached 60% under ideal conditions, and often did not exceed 50%. In addition, the safety of such installations was extremely low.

All research and experiments were paid for by Powerco, the second largest electricity supplier in New Zealand.

What the prototype is capable of

So the assembled prototype will transmit two kilowatts of electricity over a distance of 1 km. At the same time, as the developers emphasize, their installation, already in a commercial form, will be capable of transmitting energy over tens of kilometers.

The technical parameters of the receiver and transmitter were not disclosed. It is only known that the receiver is made of special radio-absorbing materials and its efficiency tends to 100%. And the efficiency of the transmitter is only 70% and this is still the weakest link in the experimental setup.

But engineers are counting on improving efficiency through the development of 5G networks.

In addition, the pilot plant for the transmission of electricity using microwaves meets all safety requirements.

As you know, microwaves become dangerous to humans if two conditions are met:

1. Short (centimeter) waves.
2. Increased energy flux density.

So it was found out that if the directed microwave flow is equal in cross-sectional area to 100 square meters, and its the power will not be higher than 100 kW, then the energy flow will be no more harmful than the midday sun on a clear day on equator.

Initially, it is planned to be in this range of parameters, but if it is necessary to increase the capacity, then a laser control (interruption) system has also been developed, like a system that prevents the lift doors from jamming items.

So, lasers will be installed around the perimeter of the receivers and transmitters, and as soon as the lasers detect an obstacle (a bird or a helicopter), the transmission system will be turned off.

And in order to avoid power outages, a system of batteries or parallel transmitters will be provided.

What are the development prospects

The authors of the development themselves do not claim that their installations will replace traditional power transmission systems. And they will be just a supplement for a cheaper and simpler installation of lines that will feed hard-to-reach mountain settlements or islands.

Well this is the first step. Perhaps Nikola Tesla's dream of wirelessly transmitting electricity around the world has come one step closer to realizing. Well, if you liked the article, then do not forget about the like and comment. Thank you for your attention!