Supports cost-effective wireless sensor networks with 330nA quiescent current and 330mV cold-start performance

TI Korea ( www.ti.com/ww/kr ) October 31, 2011 – TI has launched the bq25504, a next-generation power management IC for energy harvesting. This high-efficiency boost charging IC for nano (ultra-low) power energy harvesting manages power ranging from microwatts to milliwatts generated from various sources such as solar, thermoelectric, electromagnetic, and vibration, and stores the extracted energy in various storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Additionally, the bq25504 includes circuitry to protect energy storage devices from overvoltage and undervoltage conditions and to kick-start the system when the battery is completely discharged. (For bq25504 sample orders and further information, please refer to www.ti.com/bq25504-pr )

For example, in the case of solar panels powering handheld devices that operate as indoor lights, the new Boost Charge IC increases available energy gain by 30% to 70% compared to a linear regulator (LDO). This efficiency allows developers to reduce the size and number of solar panels, thereby reducing the overall cost of the solution. This device can be utilized in consumer, high-reliability product, and medical applications, as well as in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) for monitoring zones, industrial uses, water/waste, structures, etc.

“The market expansion of wireless sensor networks has been limited due to the costs associated with maintaining and replacing batteries within sensor nodes,” said Sami Kiriaki, Senior Vice President of TI’s Power Management Business Unit. “With the bq25504 Boost Charge IC, nodes can generate their own power, which reduces operating costs and thus enables the cost-effective application of ultra-low-power wireless sensor networks in a wider range of applications, such as industrial monitoring of hazardous and restricted areas.”

Key Features and Advantages
• Maximizing energy extracted from energy harvesters with a typically low quiescent current of 330nA and a high conversion efficiency of over 80%
• MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) optimizes energy extracted from DC harvesters, such as solar panels in various lighting environments and thermoelectric generators (TEGs) at various temperatures.
• User-programmable settings allow the boost charging IC to be used with various energy sources and energy storage devices such as batteries or supercapacitors.
• With a typical low cold-start voltage characteristic of 330mV, the bq25504 initiates operation through single-cell solar panels in low light conditions, TEGs with low temperature differences, as well as other low-voltage sources.
• Conditional activation of external load and storage device protection function based on battery OK indicator

Tools and Support
TI provided various tools and support to enable the rapid implementation of ultra-low power energy harvesting such as the following.all.
• bq25504 Evaluation Module: www.ti.com/bq25504evm-pr
• bq25504 EVM User Guide: www.ti.com/bq25504evmuser-pr

Supply timing and price
The bq25504 boost converter is currently available in a 3mm x 3mm VQFN package, and the price is $2.1 per unit based on a quantity of 1,000.

More detailed information on TI's energy harvesting and wireless connectivity portfolio
• Ask engineers and troubleshoot on the TI E2E™ Community Battery Forum:
www.ti.com/batteryforum-pr
• Download TI's New Power Management Solution Guide: www.ti.com/battery-pr
• Download TI's energy harvesting brochure: www.ti.com/energybrochure-pr
Download TI's Wireless Connectivity Solution Guide: www.ti.com/wireconnguide-pr