AEM-PF-EVK Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC (DEV-EPEAS)

Editor-in-Chief of Embedded Computing Design, Brandon Lewis, unpacks the Indoor/Outdoor e-peas Solar Development Kit

 

The AEM-PF-EVK Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC (DEV-EPEAS) makes integrating indoor solar into electronics simple. It includes e-peas high-performance energy harvesting PMIC with integrated power management designed and optimized for PowerFilm’s thin-film indoor and outdoor solar panels.

 

The AEM-PF-EVK efficiently extracts energy from the solar modules, which can be stored in a rechargeable element while also providing two independent regulated voltages to power IoT devices. The integrated power management supports multiple storage element charge configurations, including, Li-Po, Li-ion, LiFePO4, Solid State, and Single/Double cell supercapacitors. Configurations are easily selected by moving pin jumpers to desired positions. 

 

Harvesting indoor light with the paired LL200-2.4-37 panel provides approximately 80 µW in a low light luminosity (200 lux). After 8 hours of exposure, the AEM10941 harvester will collect about 1.8 J of energy.

 

Harvesting outdoor light with the paired  MPT2.4-21 panel provides approximately 6.8 mW under indirect or ambient sunlight (25% of direct sunlight). After 8 hours of exposure, the AEM10941 harvester will collect about 156 J of energy.

 

What can I power?

• BLE Beacons and Tags

• E-Paper Displays

• Telematics

• Smart Locks

• Thermostats

• Smart Windows and Shades

• Wireless Sensors

• Wearables

• Field and Herd Monitoring

• Other Low Power Electronics

Features

 

Energy Harvester and Power Management

• Coldstart at 3µW 380mV

• Global quiescent current of 400nA

• MPPT ratio configured to 80%

• Storage Element Voltage Protection

• Primary Battery with minimum voltage protection

• 2 LDOs with enable pins

• BAL feature for dual cells supercapacitor

• Internal Boost Converter (up to 95 %): 50mV 5V

 

Connectors

• 1 screw connector for Power Film PV cell

• 1 screw connector for Storage Element

• Multiple footprints for Super capacitors

• 1 screw connector for Primary Battery

• 1 screw connector for HVOUT LDO output 80 mA)

• 1 screw connector for LVOU LDO output 20 mA)

 

Configuration

• 3 jumpers for CFG Storage element protection

• 6 resistors footprint for custom mode

• 2 jumpers for LDO enable/disable

• 2 jumpers for Primary battery used

• 1 jumper if using the BAL feature (dual cells super capacitor)

 

Size

• 58 mm x 49 mm

• 4 x M 2 5 Mounting holes
 

What’s In The Kit?

• AEM-PF-EVK Dev Kit PCBA

• (2) MPT2.4-21 Solar Panel with leads

• (2) LL200-2.4-37 Indoor Solar Panel with leads

• 60mAh rechargeable Li-Polymer battery

• Instructions and product documentation

 

Expected Power

 

LL200-2.4-37 (200 Lux)

• Power: 0.07W

• Operating Voltage: 1.6V

• Current: 0.044mA

• Average VoC: 2.4V

• Average Isc: 0.06mA

LL200-2.4-37 (1000 Lux)

• Power: 0.462mW

• Operating Voltage: 2.1V

• Current: 0.220mA

• Average VoC: 2.4V

• Average Isc: 0.34mA

MPT2.4-21 (100% Sun)

• Power: 32mW

• Operating Voltage: 2.4V

• Current: 14.2mA

• Average VoC: 3.2V

 

IV Curves

 

 

AEM10941 Efficiency

 

Additional Resources

AEM-PF-EVK Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC Spec Sheet

AEM-PF-EVK Solar Development Kit with e-peas PMIC Quick Start Guide