Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on a Rotational Magnetic Ball for Harvesting Transmission Line Magnetic Energy

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are attractive in powering sensors for smart power grids. Herein, a TENG based on a rotational magnetic ball is presented to harvest the magnetic energy of transmission lines. The magnetic ball rolls in a spherical shell under the alternating magnetic field generated by the transmission line. The centrifugal force produced during the rotation is used to drive a TENG unit (ten times the weight of the magnetic ball and shell) to generate electricity with the assistance of coil springs. The device can maintain the stability of the output performance under high current shocks; meanwhile, the open-circuit voltage, output power, and operating frequency of a single TENG unit can reach 1.5 kV, 6.67 mW, and 20 Hz, respectively. Furthermore, a wireless alarm system for monitoring the temperature and dip angle of transmission lines is successfully driven by this device. This work demonstrates an efficient and nontraditional strategy for harvesting magnetic energy through TENG, which is applied to power-distributed and self-powered sensors for monitoring transmission lines.

Automated summary

A TENG based on a rotational magnetic ball is used to harvest magnetic energy from transmission lines to power a wireless alarm system monitoring the temperature and dip angle of the lines. The device maintains stable performance and can achieve high voltage, power, and frequency levels.