Electric Power Sourcing of Wireless Repository Monitoring Sensors

This presentation gives an overview of the research activities carried out in Modern2020 Task 3.3 (Alternative power supply sources). The research has addressed three alternative cable-free power sourcing technologies for nuclear repository environment: thermal energy harvesting, wireless energy transfer and nuclear batteries. The applicability of these power sourcing technologies can be improved by an interim energy storage, the technology alternatives of which have also been investigated. Applied research methods have been technology reviews based on available material, theoretical performance analyses and simulations, laboratory pilots and field pilots in an environment that partly represents the final nuclear repository. The results indicate that all the three alternative power sourcing technologies are relevant for powering wireless repository monitoring sensors. Their comparison also indicated clear differences in their applicability in various repository environments. In the design of the interim energy storage, some features of the existing energy storage technologies such as the self-discharge and the lifetime should be assessed case by case. Forthcoming energy storage technologies are expected to enable better interim energy storage solutions than the existing technologies. The follow-on steps of the research should be targeted to the further development, demonstration and verification of the powering subsystem as a part of more complete wireless sensor units (WSUs) and repository monitoring sensor systems. A detailed description of the methods,
results and conclusions of the research can be found in the Modern2020 deliverable D3.3.