Resonant Wireless Power Transfer Research Articles

Multifrequency and Multiload MCR-WPT System Using Hybrid Modulation Waves SPWM Control Method

To satisfy independent and controllable power supply requirements for loads with different frequencies and power levels, a multifrequency and multiload (MFML) magnetic coupling resonant wireless power transfer (MCR-WPT) system using hybrid modulation waves sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation (HMW-SPWM) control method is proposed in this article. Based on SPWM, loading a hybrid modulation wave formed by superimposing multifrequency modulation waves to drive the inverter, so the multifrequency hybrid current on the primary side can be obtained. According to the principle of mutual inductance coupling, inductive power with different frequencies is obtained and then separated by multiresonant networks on the secondary side for loads with different frequencies. First, the structure and working principle of a MFML MCR-WPT system controlled by HMW-SPWM are introduced. Then, taking a dual-frequency and dual-load MCR-WPT system as an example, the system is mathematically modeled. Besides, parameters design criteria for reducing interfrequency interference is studied. After that, load characteristics and power factor are analyzed to select appropriate parameters. Furthermore, dynamic characteristics are analyzed. Finally, theoretical results are validated by experiments. The experimental results show that the MFML MCR-WPT system controlled by HMW-SPWM realizes independent and controllable wireless power supply for loads with different frequencies and power levels.

Frequency tracking and tuning control of wireless power transfer system

A tuning control method with frequency tracking function is proposed to improve the degradation of efficiency caused by coil detuning in magnetically-coupled resonant wireless power transfer. Firstly, the detuning mechanism is studied by combining the AC impedance characteristics of the series resonant circuit, and the feedback control circuit is constructed by using a modified phase-locked loop, which outputs a variable frequency PWM wave to regulate the operating frequency of the high frequency inverter and maintains the phase difference between the inverter output voltage and the original side current within the error range. The Matlab/Simulink simulation results show that the design can successfully transfer the system to a new resonant state with short regulation period and high control accuracy, which can effectively improve the transmission efficiency and load power of the system.

Frequency tracking control of the WPT system based on fuzzy RBF neural network

With the application of electrical equipment, magnetically coupled resonant (MCR) wireless power transfer (WPT) technology has become an effective means to improve equipment intelligence. The MCR-WPT system is a loosely coupled system, and the resonant frequency may be split or detuned due to the changes of load or transferring distance, resulting in the system transfer efficiency (TE) greatly reduced. To solve the problems of limited speed and accuracy in the existing frequency tracking methods, this paper analyzes the relation between the detuning rate and the system TE, proposing an adaptive frequency tracking control method based on fuzzy radial basis function neural network control. The neural network outputs proportion–integration–differentiation parameters to adjust the inverter drive circuit, and the frequency of inverter drive circuit is adjusted nonlinearly in real time to ensure the accurate frequency tracking of the MCR-WPT system. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method can enhance the tracking ability of the resonant frequency, and effectively improve the system TE.

Optimal resonant frequency analysis for underground wireless power transfer with metal tube interference

Magnetic resonant wireless power transfer (MR-WPT) has several advantages over conventional wired underground power supply methods. However, MR-WPT inevitably encounters metal conductors, which reduce the system efficiency through the eddy loss induced in the conductor by high-frequency electromagnetic waves. In this paper, the effect of resonant frequency variations caused by metal tube interference with the aim of maximizing the system efficiency is studied. According to the variation in the resonant frequency, the system efficiency is analytically derived by an equivalent circuit model. Electromagnetic simulations are carried out to further analyze the metal tube interference on the system. The results demonstrate the existence of an optimal resonant frequency that maximizes the system efficiency. Aluminum tube interference produces a lower optimal resonant frequency and higher efficiency than a 304 stainless-steel tube. When the metal tube is slotted, the optimal slot width and number of slots enhance the maximum efficiency and reduce the optimal resonant frequency and frequency drift. With slot widths of 2 and 8 mm, the system efficiency reaches ∼67% at 40.1 kHz and 55% at 48 kHz, respectively. Finally, different types of slotted tubes are fabricated, and the theoretical results are experimentally verified.

Receiver-Feedback-Free Cavity Resonant Wireless Power Transfer Based on In Situ S-Parameter Estimation Using a Parasitic Antenna

This letter proposes a novel cavity resonant wireless power transfer that can optimize the load condition of a parasitic antenna without receiver feedback or the need to know the S-parameter <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">a priori</i> . In this letter, it is hypothesized that the transmission efficiency to a receiver can be indirectly maximized by minimizing reflection observed at the signal source, and the proposed method is based on this. Furthermore, an <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">in situ</i> S-parameter estimation based on load modulation is proposed. This estimation provides a closed-form optimum load condition for minimizing reflection, and avoids the need for a brute force search with load sweeping. Experiments carried out in a 200 mm conductive cube cavity successfully demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, which obtains a high transmission efficiency of 42.2% that is comparable to the achievable maximum.

Optimal frequency for magnetic resonant wireless power transfer in conducting medium

In this article, we investigated the efficiency of a magnetic resonant wireless power transfer (MR-WPT) in conducting medium and found out an optimal frequency for designing the system. In conducting environment, the eddy current loss is generated by the high-frequency alternating currents in the coils. It is manifested by increased radiation resistance of resonator coil leads to decrease the quality factor (Q-factor), which reduces the wireless power transfer (WPT) efficiency in conducting medium. The Q-factor of the resonator coil strongly depending on the conductivity, frequency, and thickness of conducting block. Two MR-WPT systems operating at 10.0 MHz and 20.0 MHz are implemented to study the effect of conducting medium on efficiency. The achieved results indicated that the 20.0 MHz system has higher efficiency at a conductivity smaller than 6.0 S/m. However, at the larger conductivity, the 10.0 MHz system is more efficient. The results provide a method to determine the optimal frequency of a WPT system operating in the conducting medium with various conductivities and thickness blocks. This method can be used to design MR-WPT systems in numerous situations, such as autonomous underwater vehicles and medical implants.

Design and Experimentation of a Novel Five Coil Asymmetric Magnetic Resonance Wireless Power Transfer System

This paper introduces a wireless power transfer system using a 5-coil asymmetric topology to mitigate range limitations when powering devices requiring small coils. The efficiency of a traditionally coupled wireless power transfer system falls sharply at distances beyond the diameter of the coils used. In order to power devices requiring small packaging at a distance, this limitation must be eliminated. Magnetically coupled coils have demonstrated the ability to extend power transfer distances beyond that of traditional coupling techniques; however, power transfer is still limited by coil size. We utilized the power transfer capabilities demonstrated by a 4-coil magnetic resonant transfer system and introduced a fifth coil to extend the transfer range. Coil asymmetry was then introduced to overcome coils radius limitations. This power transfer technique was demonstrated by charging a cell phone at a distance of 61 cm. The 5-coil transfer system operates at 40% efficiency from amplifier output to rectifier input. We develop an end-to-end power transfer system including a power amplifying source, 5-coil transfer system, and load including rectification to feed the cell phone. Circuit models and equations are introduced for all three stages with an emphasis on the asymmetric 5-coil system. Key parameters characterizing the 5-coil wireless transmission segment are also derived. Individual and system-wide efficiency limitations are discussed, and areas of future work are presented.

Parameter Optimization of Double LCC MCRWPT System Based on ZVS

At present, magnetically coupled resonance wireless power transfer (MCRWPT) is the main technology used in electric vehicle wireless power transfer (WPT) due to its advantages of high transmission power and high efficiency. The resonant compensation circuit of the system generally adopts the double LCC (DLCC) structure, which has many capacitor and inductor components. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the circuit parameters to improve the transmission performance of the system. In this study, the DLCC compensation circuit was modeled and analyzed to lay the foundation for parameter optimization. Secondly, the size parameters of the energy transmitting and receiving coil were determined, and the influence of the change of the primary and secondary compensation inductance on the circuit element stress and output performance was analyzed to determine the optimal compensation inductance value. Thirdly, the realization condition of zero voltage switching (ZVS) was analyzed, the relationship between the input impedance angle of the compensation circuit and the component parameter value was obtained, and a parameter optimization control strategy for realizing ZVS was proposed. Finally, through simulation and experiment, it was concluded that under different power levels, the efficiency of the parameter optimization strategy proposed in this study is as high as 91.86%, increasing by about 1%. Therefore, the research undertaken in this study can promote the development of WPT technology and has certain practical significance.

Optimization and Analysis of Multilayer Planar Spiral Coils for the Application of Magnetic Resonance Wireless Power Transfer to Wearable Devices

In this study, small multilayer planar spiral coils were analyzed and optimized to wirelessly charge an in-ear wearable bio-signal monitoring device in a wine-glass-shaped transmitter (Tx) based on magnetic resonance wireless power transfer (MR-WPT). For analysis of these coils, a volume filament model (VFM) was used, and an equivalent circuit formulation for the VFM was proposed. The proposed method was applied to design effective multilayer coils with a diameter and height of 6 and 3.8 mm, respectively, in the wearable device. For the coils, a printed circuit board having a 0.6 mm thick dielectric substrate and a 2 oz thick copper metal was used. Moreover, the coils on each layer were connected in series. The dimensions of the double-, four-, and eight-layer coils were optimized for the maximum quality factor (Q-factor) and coupling efficiency. The operating frequency was 6.78 MHz. The optimal dimensions for the maximum Q-factor varied depending on the number of coil layers, pattern width, and turn number. For verification, the designed coils were fabricated and measured. For the four-layer coil, the coupling efficiency and Q-factor using the measured resistance and mutual inductance were 58.1% and 32.19, respectively. Calculations showed that the maximum Q-factor for the four-layer coil was 40.8 and the maximum coupling efficiency was 60.1%. The calculations and measurement were in good agreement. Finally, the entire system of the in-ear wearable bio-signal monitoring device, comprising a wine-glass-shaped transmitter, the designed receiving coil, and a monitoring circuit, was fabricated. The measured dc-dc efficiency of the MR-WPT system was 16.08%.

Analysis of the Frequency Characteristics of MCR‐WPT System with Asymmetric Coils Structure

At present, magnetically coupled resonant (MCR) wireless power transfer (WPT) has been widely used in many practical applications. However, the traditional symmetrical coils structure has limited the development of WPT technology, such as the mining and medical field, where the coils structure is always asymmetrical because of their special environment requirements. In the study a novel method was presented for the analysis of the frequency characteristics of the MCR‐WPT system with asymmetric coils structure. The concept of the quality factor ratio of the coils with asymmetrical coils structure was proposed, and then the mathematical relationship between the quality factor ratio and the output power was deduced. In addition, the effects of the quality factor ratio, generalized coupling factor, generalized mismatching factor and frequency splitting factor on the output power and transmission efficiency were studied respectively. The simulation results not only demonstrate the regular pattern between the frequency splitting, the quality factor ratio and the frequency splitting factor, but also validate the condition of the output power achieving the local maximum value. Besides, the results show the relationship between the coupling factor and the transmission efficiency. Finally, an experimental platform was built to verify the theoretical analysis. And the conclusions of the study not only provide theoretical and practical basis for the future study in WPT technology but also can provide beneficial references for the design of WPT system in particular applications. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Variable-Frequency Pulse Width Modulation Circuits for Resonant Wireless Power Transfer

In this paper, we develop a variable-frequency pulse width modulation (VFPWM) circuit for input control of 6.78-MHz resonant wireless power transfer (WPT) systems. The zero-voltage switching control relies on the adjustments of both duty cycle and switching frequency for the class-E amplifier used in the WPT as the power transmission unit. High-frequency pulse wave modulation integrated circuits exist, but some have insufficiently high frequency or unfavorable resolution for duty cycle tuning. The novelty of this work is the VFPWM circuit design that we put together. A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) of radio frequency and capacitor-coupled difference amplifiers are used to simultaneously perform the frequency and duty cycle tuning required in resonant WPT applications. Different circuit topologies of VFPWM are compared analytically and numerically. The most favorable circuit topology, enabling independent control of the frequency and duty cycle, is employed in experiments. The experimental results demonstrate the validity of the novel VFPWM, which is capable of operating at 6.78-MHz and has a duty ratio adjustable from 20% to 45% of the range applicable in the resonant WPT applications.

Mechanism of wireless power transfer system waveform distortion caused by nonideal gallium nitride transistor characteristics

Gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistors have low ON resistance and switching losses in high-frequency (>MHz) resonant wireless power transfer systems. Nevertheless, their performance in the system is determined by their characteristics and operation mode. A particular operating mode in a 6.78-MHz magnetic resonant wireless transfer system that employs class-D GaN power amplifiers in the zero-voltage switching mode is studied. Two operation modes, the forward mode and the reverse mode, are investigated. The nonideal effect under the device-level dynamic resistance and thermal effect are also analyzed. The dynamic resistance under different operation modes is demonstrated to have different generation mechanisms. Finally, the device characteristics with system operating conditions are combined, and the effects of temperature and dynamic resistance under different operating conditions are evaluated.

A comprehensive design analysis of a cost-effective WPT system with a class-E power amplifier and a T-matching network

Magnetically-coupled resonant wireless power transfer systems (WPTs) operating in the megahertz range is well-suited for mid-range transmission of moderate power levels. The class-E power amplifier (PA) is attractive for the MHz WPT applications due to the high-efficiency and soft-switching properties. However, since the output power and the efficiency of the class-E PA strongly depends on the output load, any change in the mutual inductance of coupling coils, which leads to the PA load variation, results in a dramatic loss in the overall performance of WPT system. This paper provides a comprehensive design analysis to analytically and numerically mimic the PA behavior to conveniently adapt any variation of the input impedance of the coupled coils to the PA optimum load using a T-type matching network. An equivalent circuit analysis followed by the design theory for the class-E PA, coupled coils, and the T-network has been presented. For validation purposes, the class-E PA implemented by the cost-effective IRF640 MOSFET was first fabricated and its performance was measured for different load values. The PA efficiency and output power was measured as high as 96.7% and 25.8 W, respectively, for the optimum load value of 9 Ω, which was closely predicted from the theory. A 1 MHz WPT system was then built for the operating range up to 27 cm, showcasing its behavior in presence and absence of the proposed T-type matching circuits at two arbitrary 10 cm and 25 cm distances between the coupling coils; the input impedance of the WPT system for those separation distances were 4 Ω and 0.2 Ω, respectively. Results demonstrate power transfer efficiencies of 88% and 15% at distances of 10 cm and 25 cm with the T-network, respectively, improved by 33% and 12% to the non-matching state, respectively. The overall DC output power achieved using a full-bridge rectifier are 21.9 W and 6.8 W at 10 cm and 25 cm, respectively.

Autonomous System Concept of Multiple-Receiver Inductive Coupling Wireless Power Transfer for Output Power Stabilization Against Cross-Interference Among Receivers and Resonance Frequency Tolerance

Multiple-receiver resonant inductive coupling wireless power transfer (RIC-WPT) technique is emerging as a promising charging method for multiple household appliances, mobile devices, and wearable devices. However, this technique often suffers from output power fluctuation owing to the cross-interference among receivers as well as the manufacturing and aging tolerance of the resonant frequency (i.e., resonant frequency tolerance). This article proposes an autonomous RIC-WPT system concept to solve this difficulty. The proposed concept addresses the cross-interference and resonant frequency tolerance by incorporating the following two functions. First, the amplitude of the transmitter current is controlled to have a constant amplitude. Second, the phase of each receiver current is controlled to be orthogonal to that of the transmitter current by using an active reactance compensator installed in each receiver. The experiment of a two-receiver RIC-WPT system successfully verified that the two functions of the proposed system concept can stabilize the output voltage against the cross-interference and resonant frequency tolerance.

Research on power distribution in multiple-input multiple-output magnetic coupling resonance wireless power transfer system

Aimed at different demands of power of multiple receiver loads in multiple-input multiple-output wireless power transfer (MIMO-WPT) system, in the paper, a method of calculating the excitation source at the transmitter by general circuit model is put forward to realize the power allocation of the receiver loads. First, the magnetic coupling resonance (MCR) MIMO-WPT system is made to be equivalent to a linear circuit model, and the general circuit model of MIMO-WPT system is established, which describes output transfer characteristics, transmission efficiency and output power of the MIMO-WPT system with parametric state matrix. Then, based on the power demand of each receiver load, the vector expression of the excitation source at the transmitter of MIMO-WPT system is derived by the general circuit model. At last, the simulation experiment of WPT system with 3 transmitting and 2 receiving coils is designed to verify the accuracy of the general circuit model estimation and the feasibility of the power distribution of the receiver load. Meanwhile, the application of the general model provides a feasible solution to solve different power demands of multiple receiving loads in the MIMO-MCRWPT system.

Development of high-efficiency capacitive discharge using magnetic resonance wireless power transfer systems

We developed a high-efficiency source in a capacitively coupled plasma using magnetic resonance wireless power transfer (MRWPT) systems, which has the advantage that the matcher efficiency is very high at low gas pressures (2 mTorr to 20 mTorr) and high density plasmas (about 1 × 1010 cm−3 to 5 × 1010 cm−3). At the non-resonance conditions, most of the RF power is dissipated by the transmitter coil and the plasma is not discharged. However, at the resonance condition, the plasma is discharged as the current flowing through the transmitter coil rapidly decreases, and the matcher efficiency is higher than 90% in all experiments. For analysis, the transformer model with MRWPT systems is developed. The experimental result is consistent with the model, and the results are discussed with the relevant physical mechanisms.

Minimum Power Input Control for Class-E Amplifier Using Depletion-Mode Gallium Nitride High Electron Mobility Transistor

In this study, we implemented a depletion (D)-mode gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor (GaN HEMT, which has the advantage of having no body diode) in a class-E amplifier. Instead of applying a zero voltage switching control, which requires high frequency sampling at a high voltage (&gt;600 V), we developed an innovative control method called the minimum power input control. The output of this minimum power input control can be presented in simple empirical equations allowing the optimal power transfer efficiency for 6.78 MHz resonant wireless power transfer (WPT). In order to reduce the switching loss, a gate drive design for the D-mode GaN HEMT, which is highly influential for the reliability of the resonant WPT, was also produced and described here for circuit designers.

Multiple Input Multiple Output Resonant Inductive WPT Link: Optimal Terminations for Efficiency Maximization

In this paper a general-purpose procedure for optimizing a resonant inductive wireless power transfer link adopting a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) configuration is presented. The wireless link is described in a general–purpose way as a multi-port electrical network that can be the result of either analytical calculations, full–wave simulations, or measurements. An eigenvalue problem is then derived to determine the link optimal impedance terminations for efficiency maximization. A step-by-step procedure is proposed to solve the eigenvalue problem using a computer algebra system, it provides the configuration of the link, optimal sources, and loads for maximizing the efficiency. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it is general: it is valid for any strictly–passive multi–port network and is therefore applicable to any wireless power transfer (WPT) link. To validate the presented theory, an example of application is illustrated for a link using three transmitters and two receivers whose impedance matrix was derived from full-wave simulations.

Comparative Study of Achievable Efficiency Between Three- and Four-Coil Wireless Power Transfer Systems

In magnetic resonant wireless power transfer (WPT), intermediate resonant coils (i-RCs) can be deployed between a transmitter and a receiver as a means of improving performance, but this entails a high additional cost. In the search for a cost-effective strategy for the use of additional components of WPT, we provide a comparative analysis of the achievable transmission efficiency (TE) between three-coil (3C) and four-coil (4C) systems. In particular, we find optimal control parameters, e.g., load resistance and inductive coupling coefficient, to derive the achievable TE for each system in closed-form expressions. In comparing the achievable TEs of the two systems, we also remark on the effective use of additional coils in two main ways. First, by optimizing the load resistance, the position of the i-RC is determined to be close to the transmitter or the receiver in a 3C system for improving the achievable TE depending on the strength difference between inductive and resonant couplings. Moreover, if the i-RC is placed near the transmitter, the 3C system shows the same achievable TE as the 4C system. Second, by optimizing the inductive coupling coefficient, the achievable TE of the 3C system is not affected by the location of the i-RC, whether it is placed nearer to the transmitter or the receiver, and the 4C system always outperforms the 3C system. Through a series of experiments conducted in a variety of environments, we verify both the validity of these observations and the accuracy of the theoretical analysis.

On the Non-idealities of a Capacitive Link for Wireless Power Transfer to Biomedical Implants.

This paper studies the performance of a resonant capacitive wireless power transfer (C-WPT) link for biomedical implants in the presence of non-idealities. The study emphasizes on finding an accurate electrical model of a practical C-WPT link, which can be used to investigate the performance of the link under different practical/non-ideal scenarios. A sound knowledge about these non-idealities is crucial for device optimization. For the first time, a circuit model has been presented and analyzed, which is applicable to a practical C-WPT link undergoing plate mismatch, flexion, tissue contraction, and stretching. Our model considers the finite conductivity of the body tissue and fringe fields formed by capacitor plates. Analytical and HFSSTM simulation results have been presented for different non-idealities, and are in good agreement. Additionally, we show a procedure to interpolate non-ideal case results. The study shows that plate misalignment (causing reduction in parallel plate overlap area) and skin tissue contraction (while muscle grows) are the most detrimental individual factors to the link performance. We recorded ∼32% and ∼14% power transfer efficiency decrease due to these two worst-case scenarios, respectively for a C-WPT link comprising of two pairs of 400 mm2 parallel plates (12 cm edge-to-edge separation) coated with 63.5 µm thick Kapton layer and aligned around a 3 mm tissue at 20 MHz.