"Check Electric Flow Without Opening the 'Dukkeobijip'... World's First Development"

Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute

Energy Harvesting-Based Wireless Power Transmission Notification Technology Developed by Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] A technology has been developed that allows checking the power flow and whether electrical equipment is de-energized without opening the distribution panel, commonly known as the 'Dukkeobi-jip' (circuit breaker box). It is analyzed that this can significantly reduce electric shock accidents.

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) announced on the 10th that Dr. Bae Jun-han of the Corporate Support Office has developed the world's first "energy harvesting-based wireless power flow notification technology" that can safely check the internal energization status of dangerous high-voltage electrical equipment from outside without opening the door.

In Korea, distribution panels, also called 'Dukkeobi-jip', are installed not only in houses but also in apartments, commercial buildings, and other facilities. These devices perform electricity distribution, switching, safety, and metering functions. Most use high voltages of 6.6kV and 22.9kV, which are about 30 to 100 times the household voltage of 220V. Until now, to check the power flow status of distribution equipment, workers had to open the door and individually check the energization indicators attached inside the equipment. During this process, electric shock accidents frequently occurred, and even in power outage cases, there was a high risk of accidents due to residual stored energy.

The research team devised a technology that allows checking the energization status through an external monitor attached outside the distribution panel without opening the door. The core is so-called 'energy harvesting,' which recycles wasted energy. It collects and converts electric field energy leaking around electrical equipment to generate electricity, which is then used as the power source for the transmitter. The transmitter wirelessly sends whether electricity is flowing to the receiver, and the result is displayed on the external monitor.

In particular, the small transmitter weighing 250g can be attached to the busbar (electric wire) without separate construction, making it highly versatile. Despite its small size that does not affect existing electrical circuits, the energy harvesting efficiency is enhanced to produce maximum electricity while minimizing its own power consumption, realizing a high-level technology. Safety has also been verified. Based on the power charged through energy harvesting, even if a sudden power outage occurs, the power flow notification monitor continues to operate for one minute, allowing workers to examine the situation more closely. In case of an emergency where the door is artificially opened despite the energized status, an immediate warning broadcast is issued.

Dr. Bae said, "This technology greatly improves safety and convenience by inspecting dangerous equipment from outside using electricity generated by collecting surrounding energy without using separate power supply or batteries." He added, "Ultimately, the goal is to create an ‘ICT-based smart electrical equipment platform’ that can diagnose various internal conditions such as voltage, current, temperature, humidity, and vibration at once using electricity generated by energy harvesting."

KERI has completed patent applications for this core technology, transferred it to private companies, and plans to commercialize and launch products in the market next year.