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Today, AC power dominates the world, but DC is quietly brewing a revolution, and the key is the USB technology that has long been commonplace. This will not only bring a revolution to the power supply industry, but will also improve the efficiency of electricity use and even promote the development of the Internet of Things.
A wide variety of cables, incompatible connectors, and a variety of adapters were once a heart-breaking problem for travelers. But the emergence of USB saved them. Most cell phones and small electronic devices can be charged via a USB cable that plugs directly into a computer or adapter. There are about 10 billion such cables in use around the world. Hotels, airports, automobiles, and new buildings, more and more places have begun to use the USB socket as a standard power configuration.
Today, more dramatic changes are in sight. Since 2014, the USB cable will be able to power larger electronic devices. In the long run, this will change the way electricity is used in homes and offices. It will not only save costs but also increase efficiency.
Even Ajay Bhatt, Intel's inventor and Intel engineer, did not expect this technology to have such energy. The primary destination for him to develop such an interface was to reduce the complex steps involved in connecting a peripheral to a computer. Keyboards, mice, speakers, and other peripherals all require different cables, and often have different drivers installed. The main task of USB is to help computers and devices "communicate and negotiate."
Ajay Bhatt did not expect that he had created a completely new charging system. Although USB's current charging capability can only reach 10 watts, barely enough for iPads and other devices, it has already become the default charging method for mobile phones, e-readers and other small electronic devices. Some cell phone manufacturers no longer provide power adapters at the time of sale. Some of the more creative inventors also introduced USB-powered fans, mini-refrigerators and toy rocket launchers.
The new standard called USBPD next year can bring more flexibility to this technology, expanding the charging capacity to the current 10 times: up to 100 watts. Simon Daniel is the founder of Moixa, a technology company. He is currently charging laptops with a prototype of an enhanced version of the USB socket at his office in London. The low-voltage LED desk lamp in the office also uses the same line. The same applies to computer monitors, printers, and desktop computers. Only large consumers such as microwave ovens and kettles use traditional power supplies.
Trend reversal
This may herald a larger change that could trigger a revival of DC power, making it the preferred choice for charging low-voltage homes and office equipment. Since Nikola Tesla defeated Thomas Edison, the status of DC in the electronic world has long been suppressed by AC. There are many reasons for Tesla's victory, but one of them is because this technology is easier to switch between different voltages at the time, thus becoming a better power transmission and distribution system.
However, the trend may be about to reverse. Alternating currents that will become direct currents need to power the transistor (which is the heart of all electronic devices). This approach is cumbersome. The most common way is to use a power adapter. These ubiquitous small boxes are now cheap and light, but they are usually not efficient and convert electricity into heat. And this kind of equipment will continue to operate day and night regardless of the price of electricity. So, a better way is to build the kind of DC network that Simon Daniel uses for all home and office electronics.
As a result, the USB cable has become more useful. They can transmit both direct current and data. This means that it can set the priority between the power supply equipment and the power consumption equipment. For example, when the laptop is charging the phone, "The computer can say, 'I need to start the hard drive now, so don't charge it for the next 10 seconds','" Ajay Bhatt said. The new standard with variable voltage and more power brings more possibilities, and even introduces some new features: let the current flow in any direction.
This brings another advantage. The low voltage DC grid is well compatible with solar panels. The latter can generate different amounts of direct current at different times, and the price is getting cheaper and can even be installed directly on windows or roofs. Although it is not easy to transfer solar energy to the AC grid, this energy model is very suitable for low-voltage local DC grids. When the sun shines brightly, it can help you charge all your laptops, mobile phones, and electronic devices.
Many advantages
This model can bring benefits to all homes or offices. If the network has a large central battery that is connected to the main power grid, the self-charging at night when the electricity price is cheaper will be even better. But the real advantages will emerge when the DC grids of multiple buildings are integrated. Combining all kinds of supply, demand, and storage can turn into a "smart grid" -- a more flexible and cost-effective power supply system than the existing model.
Emergency service planners like this idea: When power is interrupted, devices such as mobile phones are crucial. The managers of traditional grids also welcome any technology that can flatten peak power usage.
Simon Daniel's company has built more than a dozen prototypes in the UK, a theatre in London and a community in Southend-on-Sea. They also established another project in the Nupharo Technology Park in the Czech Republic. There was also a meeting there this month to discuss how to deploy the low voltage DC grid to poor countries that have difficulty accessing the AC grid. A system that can store solar energy and provide mobile phone charging and night lighting will attract huge demand.
Electric enthusiasts are even more excited. Low-voltage DC power is cheap, safe, and environmentally friendly. Large technology companies are also developing various chips to adapt to new standards. Intel executive Brad Saunders said that the first USB PD device will be available in 2014 and will be launched in 2015. Gregory Reed of the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh believes this new USB standard will bring about a revolution. He said that large data centers with large numbers of servers have begun to use DC circuits, and home and office space will follow suit.
This change comes at a time when the "Internet of Things" model continues to ferment. This kind of technology hopes that all kinds of devices and electronic products can be automatically communicated in more intelligent ways. This means that many new devices require not only power supply but also data transmission capabilities, while the new USB standard can meet both requirements.
Ajay Bhatt, who invented USB 20 years ago, is equally ecstatic. His next plan is to allow the USB interface to be bi-directionally plugged in. This technology now only recognizes one direction. If you make a mistake, you cannot insert the jack. The original reason for adopting this design was to reduce production costs as much as possible. After all, few people at the time believed that his ideas could be popularized.
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