The idea of wireless power transmission over long distances has been around for over a century. Its implementation, but with the use of modern technologies, has recently been actively pursued by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).
And the scientists have managed to transfer 1.6 kW of energy over a distance of a kilometer.
The principle of transmission is simple and clear. The electricity converted into microwaves is collected in a dense beam and transmitted to the receiver, which consists of elements – recten.
Their basis is an X-band dipole antenna with a radio frequency diode. When electricity passes through the rectenna, it begins to generate direct current.
The Pentagon project, called SCOPE-M, was entrusted to an NRL research team led by Christopher Rodenbeck.
Receiving Antenna
SCOPE-M elements have been installed at the research site at Blossom Point (Massachusetts) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The device transmitted microwave energy at a frequency of 10 GHz, which reliably guarantees operation even in rainy weather with a power loss of less than 5%, as well as safety for nearby animals and people.
SCOPE-M has demonstrated a good 60% efficiency, which, according to the developers, is not the limit. In the future, this technology can be used to transmit electricity from powerful solar orbital power plants to Earth around the clock.
