Chinese airports adopt energy harvesting light switch from ZF
To drive sustainability, flexibility and energy efficiency, China’s Beijing and Xinjiang airports are controlling lighting using the KNX-RF radio protocol and the KNX wireless and battery-free, energy harvesting light switch modules from ZF.
The first KNX light switch modules from ZF were installed and used in July 2016 at Hetian Airport in the city of Xinjiang. Due to the positive results, Beijing International Airport also expressed interest in the innovative modules. In September 2020 the time came — ZF energy harvesting light switches are now used to control the lighting of the VIP rooms at the airport of the Chinese capital.
The reasons for using these innovative ZF light switch modules are varied, but simple. Based on RF and completely free of batteries and cables, the modules can be integrated into a KNX network. After short training, lights can be controlled via the ZF light switch in the same way as traditionally wired light switches. KNX-RF commands transmitted by the switches can be easily transformed into KNX-TP by means of a media coupler.
However, as a wireless system, the ZF light switch offers great flexibility and the option of redesigning the room division in the airport according to individual requirements. This avoids not only maintenance work in the future but also time-consuming measures for battery replacement and disposal. The technical core component of the ZF light switch module is a small, compact generator measuring 20.1- by 7.3- by 14.3-mm) that generates enough energy by mechanical actuation using the inductive principle. This enables reliable radio transmission of commands without the need for batteries. With a lifetime surpassing a million switching cycles, the switch can be operated for many years without any problems.
The wireless light switch module from ZF is uniquely available for the KNX-RF wireless standard without an additional gateway. Due to the KNX protocol structure, the generator requires a high energy yield. With up to 330 µWs, the ZF generator is ideally suited for this application. In addition to KNX-RF, the ZF light switch module also supports the EnOcean3.0 wireless standard and Bluetooth5.0 Low Energy. It is compatible with commercially available standard frames and can also be combined with customer-specific operating and design panels.
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