Magnetic energy harvesting device and method for electric metallurgical furnaces and similar environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029092-B2
Application number	US-201815974799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 10, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device, and a magnetic energy harvesting device and method of harvesting magnetic energy, for electric metallurgical furnaces and similar environments. The device comprises a conductor which is configured to become induced with electricity in response to a time-varying magnetic field. The field may be irregular, such as near a metallurgical furnace or a similar environment. The electronic device may be a transmitter in a metallurgical electric furnace. The transmitter may be connected to an environment sensor. The electronic device may be powered by the magnetic energy harvesting device. The magnetic energy harvesting device may a wire loop or a coil. The method comprises inductively harvesting energy from magnetic field fluctuations caused by a metallurgical furnace or a similar environment to wirelessly power the electronic device.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
an interface for receiving sensor readings;
a transmitter configured to transmit the sensor readings to a remote device; and
a magnetic energy harvesting device comprising a conductor configured to generate electricity when in the presence of an irregular time-varying magnetic field from an industrial source, the magnetic energy harvesting device electrically connected with the electronic device to power the interface to receive the sensor readings and to power the transmitter to transmit the sensor readings.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device is configured to electrically power the electronic device in response to a time-varying magnetic field from an electrical component of a metallurgical electric furnace.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a wireless transmitter, and the interface is a sensor interface for receiving the sensor readings from a sensor, the electronic device configured to wirelessly transmit the sensor readings to a remote device.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device is configured to supply a minimum of 300 microwatts of electrical power to the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device is configured to supply a minimum of 300 microwatts of electrical power to the electronic device in response to a minimum magnetic flux density of 0.2 millitesla, at an average frequency of approximately 50 or 60 hertz.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductor of the magnetic energy harvesting device comprises a coil, the harvesting device configured to electrically power the electronic device in response to a time-varying magnetic field of a metallurgical furnace having a powered electrode that is located from the coil a distance that is greater than 10 times the outer diameter of the coil.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device is configured to power the electronic device in response to a time-varying magnetic field resulting from a powered electrode and a plurality of metal conductors in a metallurgical furnace.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device is configured to supply less than 1500 microwatts of power to the electronic device.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage device, the energy storage device configured to store excess electrical power supplied by the magnetic energy harvesting device, and output electrical power when the magnetic energy harvesting device supplies less electrical power than required by the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device comprises a coil, the coil comprising a magnet wire having a gauge between 20 and 39 AWG.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device comprises a coil, the coil comprising between 210 and 21.000 turns.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a core disposed within a coil of the magnetic energy harvesting device, the core comprising a material having a greater magnetic permeability than air, the core to one or more of reorient and concentrate the magnetic field through the coil.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the core comprises an end extending beyond the circumference of the coil to concentrate the magnetic field strength within the coil.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the core is a housing for the coil.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the core comprises an end extending beyond the circumference of the coil in a plurality of directions.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the core comprises a plurality of C-shaped bars.

17. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the end is disc-shaped.

18. An electronic device comprising a magnetic energy harvesting device comprising a conductor configured to be induced with electricity, the electricity for powering the device, in response to the conductor being in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field from an electrical component of a metallurgical furnace.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the device is a wireless integrated industrial instrument, comprising an environment sensor and a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit readings of the environment sensor to a data acquisition device.

20. The device of claim 18 , wherein the device is a data acquisition device.

21. The device of claim 18 , wherein the magnetic energy harvesting device is a wire loop or coil.

22. The device of claim 18 , wherein the harvesting device comprises conductive metal equipment in the environment of the metallurgical furnace.

23. A magnetic energy harvesting device comprising a coil and a core, the coil configured to be inducted with electricity when in the presence of a time-varying magnetic field from an industrial source, and the core within the coil and comprising an end extending beyond the circumference of the coil to alter the magnetic field to help increase the amount of electricity inducted in the coil.

Assignees

• Hatch Ltd

Inventors

• Gorczyca Matthew
• Gerritsen Terry

Classifications

• H02J50/80

  involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices · CPC title

• H02J50/10 Primary

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• F27D11/10 Primary

  Disposition of electrodes · CPC title

• H05B7/11

  Arrangements for conducting current to the electrode terminals · CPC title

• H01B9/001

  Power supply cables for the electrodes of electric-welding apparatus or electric-arc furnaces · CPC title