22/12-08   -   Press releases

PhD project: Future power supply in size of match box

Through research cooperation, PhD student Kaspar Sinding Meyer and Noliac Motion aim at revolutionising the technology of the power supplies in all electronic equipment from mobile phones, computers and medical equipment to satellites and converters for solar and fuel cells.

As of December 15th 2008, Kaspar Sinding Meyer is employed as an Industrial PhD student and will carry out his project "Innovative magnetic-less high power density switch-mode power supplies based on piezoelectric transformers" in collaboration with Noliac Motion and under the supervision of Professor and Ph.D. Michael A. E. Andersen of DTU Electrical Engineering.

Non-magnetic piezo power supplies
Kaspar also carried out his MSc project in cooperation with Noliac Motion, where he through mathematic models described how to reduce the development time of piezoelectric transformers and directly optimise them to a given application. Kaspar has verified the mathematic models through a number of physical prototype tests.

His results are innovative and may be implemented in future switch-mode power supplies (SMPS) with piezoelectric transformers without using magnetic components at all.

It will be possible to manufacture such SMPS with piezoelectric transformers with a much larger power density, i.e. smaller than today. A power supply to a laptop PC, for instance, will have the same size as a small box of matches.

No limitations yet
With the size of a coin and a height of only 4 mm, current piezoelectric transformers deliver the 60W of power needed for a laptop PC. With a new patent pending modulation scheme, the rest of the surrounding electronic circuit scales very well in size as well.

No limitations to the technology have been found at the current stage of development. New transformer designs continue to improve the power density and efficiency that can be achieved with a given material. IC control circuits do not yet exist so the impact of PCB real estate is yet to be harvested.

Further, research in new piezoelectric materials continues to improve the mechanical quality factor, and the design of the power stage is still improving.

Lastly, the possible uses in harsh environments with high operating temperatures, high magnetic fields and with strict EMI requirements are very important features.

Crazy about wires
Actually, it is quite obvious that Kaspar chose to become an engineer. All his life, he has been crazy about current and wires.

Already in his kindergarten in Aarhus, Kaspar was very interested in electricity. Therefore, he thought it could be fun to carry out a little experiment with wires, current and water resulting in a short circuit of the whole kindergarten!

Perhaps Kasper had a feeling of not behaving properly, because he was wearing a jacket, so that he could quickly run away without freezing.

More information: http://www.noliac.com/Default.aspx?ID=7891&Purge=True