Energy harvesting for a condition-monitoring mote

Abstract

One application for wireless sensor networks (WSN) is the condition monitoring of high voltage power transformers to actively monitor, predict and identify causes of failures. This paper details a prototype design and testing of a hybrid power management system for a wireless sensor mote. The sensor mote, mounted on the outside of a high voltage transformer, utilizes a piezoelectric cantilever to generate electricity from the transformer tank vibration. Together with solar energy harvesting, the system allows for a battery-less self-sustained wireless sensor mote capable of autonomously monitoring its surroundings.