Wireless Power Transfer Technology for Electric Vehicles

In multi-load wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, when multiple loads simultaneously charge using the same transmitter, the unpredictable spatial positions of the loads and the presence of cross-coupling make it challenging to achieve complete system decoupling, thereby limiting the effective power reception area. To address this issue, this paper investigates a one-to-multiple WPT system based on a single-transistor P^#-type LCC-S compensation network. Air-core coils are employed at the receiving end to mitigate cross-coupling, and the effective power reception area is analyzed. First, the operating principle of the system is examined and the parameter configuration conditions for the resonant circuit are derived. Then, MATLAB/Simulink R2022b is used to establish simulation circuit models for both single-transmitter single-receiver and single-transmitter dual-receiver WPT systems. The results indicate that for an effective output power of 5 W, the mutual inductance ranges are (3.5, 6) μH and (3, 6.5) μH, respectively. Next, finite element simulations are conducted to analyze the mutual inductance variations caused by spatial misalignment of the coils. For the single-transmitter single-receiver system, when the transmission distance is 5–12.5 mm, the effective power reception area corresponds to an X- and Y-axis misalignment of ±15 mm, while at a transmission distance of 10 mm, the effective reception area is ±10 mm along both axes. In the single-transmitter dual-receiver system, for a transmission distance of 5–14 mm, the maximum reception area is ±15 mm along the X-axis and ±10 mm along the Y-axis. Finally, an experimental platform is built to verify that multiple loads at different positions can achieve effective power reception for charging. Full article

A constant current constant voltage charging scheme based on a single-ended primary inductive converter is proposed to address the key issues of wireless power transfer (WPT) technology for charging devices in seawater environments. The scheme can effectively adapt to the complex transmission conditions of a WPT system in a seawater environment by using the advantages of single-ended primary inductor converter (SEPIC) topology, such as adjustable voltage, wide input range, and the same polarity as output; its regulating effect on charging current and voltage is modeled and analyzed. An underwater experimental platform is built to test the charging performance of the system under different transmission distances, radial offsets, and deflection angles (1 A is set for the constant current stage and 5 V for the constant voltage stage). The experimental results show that when the distance is 2 cm, the maximum fluctuation amplitude of the current is 0.04 A. When the transmission distance is increased to 6 cm, and a radial offset of 5 cm is introduced, the fluctuation amplitude increases to 0.13 A. Under the condition of dynamic charging, the maximum fluctuation range of current is 0.15 A, and the fluctuation rate reaches 16.7%. It shows that the system has good applicability and application prospects in seawater environments. Full article

This study investigates the enhancement of power transfer efficiency (PTE) in wireless power transfer (WPT) systems for electric vehicles (EVs) through simulations and experimental evaluations using metamaterial (MTM) configurations. The MTM model, validated against existing research, was designed for operation at 85 kHz. The influence of MTM on the magnetic field alignment and flux density at the receiver coil significantly improved PTE compared to systems without an MTM configuration. We tested various arrangements of three, six, and nine MTM cells positioned at left, right, top, bottom, and combined locations across coil distances of 0–5.0 cm. The results showed that a nine-cell MTM arrangement yielded greater PTE than a three-cell arrangement because of improved electromagnetic flux distribution. However, the T-shaped arrangement of six MTM cells achieved the maximum PTE at a 2.0 cm coil distance. This performance exceeded that of the configuration with 3 × 3 MTM cells, indicating that the T-shaped design optimizes electromagnetic flux distribution. The six-cell T-shaped arrangement boosted the PTE by 7.7% compared to the nine-cell version, demonstrating its potential as an innovative and efficient WPT system for future EV applications. Full article

In the field of wireless charging technology for electric vehicles, the charging process of lithium-ion batteries is typically divided into two stages: constant-current (CC) charging and constant-voltage (CV) charging. This two-stage charging method helps protect the battery and extend its service life. This paper proposes a family of circuit topology design schemes that achieve a smooth transition from CC to CV charging stages by using two relays. Additionally, the paper derives the corresponding system efficiency formulas and provides constraints on device parameters to ensure that the charging efficiency remains high during different charging stages. The proposed family of circuit topologies adopt unified device parameters and relay control logic, simplifying the design and operation process, and making these topologies more suitable for large-scale applications. To verify the practical performance of these topologies, the paper constructs experimental prototypes and conducts tests. The experimental results show that the proposed family of topologies can stably achieve CC and CV output, with smooth transitions between the two charging modes, and the efficiency can be maintained above 89% before and after mode switching over a wide load range. Furthermore, the mode switching points of the proposed family of topologies are multiples of two. Full article

Transitioning from petrol or gas vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) poses significant challenges in reducing emissions, lowering operational costs, and improving energy storage. Wireless charging EVs offer promising solutions to wired charging limitations such as restricted travel range and lengthy charging times. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to address the challenges of wireless power transfer (WPT) for EVs by optimizing coupling frequency and coil design to enhance efficiency while minimizing electromagnetic interference (EMI) and heat generation. A novel coil design and adaptive hardware are proposed to improve power transfer efficiency (PTE) by defining the optimal magnetic resonant coupling WPT and mitigating coil misalignment, which is considered a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of WPT for EVs. A new methodology for designing and arranging roadside lanes and facilities for dynamic wireless charging (DWC) of EVs is introduced. This includes the optimization of transmitter coils (TCs), receiving coils (RCs), compensation circuits, and high-frequency inverters/converters using the partial differential equation toolbox (pdetool). The integration of wireless charging systems with smart grid technology is explored to enhance energy distribution and reduce peak load issues. The paper proposes a DWC system with multiple segmented transmitters integrated with adaptive renewable photovoltaic (PV) units and a battery system using the utility main grid as a backup. The design process includes the determination of the required PV array capacity, station battery sizing, and inverters/converters to ensure maximum power point tracking (MPPT). To validate the proposed system, it was tested in two scenarios: charging a single EV at different speeds and simultaneously charging two EVs over a 1 km stretch with a 50 kW system, achieving a total range of 500 km. Experimental validation was performed through real-time simulation and hardware tests using an OPAL-RT platform, demonstrating a power transfer efficiency of 90.7%, thus confirming the scalability and feasibility of the system for future EV infrastructure. Full article

The three-phase voltage type Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) rectifier is widely used in the front-end power factor of electric vehicle wireless charging systems due to its simple control structure and easy implementation. The system often adopts a double closed-loop PI control method based on voltage and current, which inevitably leads to a significant starting current surge and poses significant risks to the safe operation of the equipment. On the basis of establishing a mathematical model for PWM rectifiers, this article analyzes in detail the causes of starting over-current and designs a starting strategy with a voltage outer proportional and integral separated active current directly given. Simulation experiments show that this method can reduce the starting over-current of PWM rectifiers and the excessive DC voltage surge towards normal operation during the starting process. Full article

Wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, which have been around for decades, have recently become very popular with the widespread use of electric vehicles (EVs). In this study, an inductive coupling WPT system with a series–series compensation topology was designed and implemented for use in EVs. Initially, a 3D Maxwell (ANSYS Electromagnetics Suite 18) model of the system was generated. The impact of individual parameters on the coupling coefficient was analyzed through systematic variations in each parameter’s values. As a result, a system with a higher coupling coefficient was obtained. Using this system, three distinct load cases were investigated for their efficiency in the Simplorer (ANSYS Electromagnetics Suite 18) circuit. Subsequently, a prototype of the system was constructed, and the experimental results were compared with the model’s results. This study shows that both the output power and the efficiency of the system increase as the load resistance increases. The results obtained in this study are anticipated to offer valuable insights for the enhancement of WPT system design. Full article

In the electric vehicle wireless power transmission system, the high-frequency alternating magnetic field between the transmitter and receiver can have a certain impact on the health of living organisms and may even lead to lesions. In addition, metal foreign objects in an alternating magnetic field can cause their own heating or even cause fires due to the eddy current effect, so foreign object detection is an essential function in the wireless power transmission system of electric vehicles. In order to prevent metals and living organisms from entering the charging area and causing harm to the charging system and living organisms, this paper proposes a method for detecting living organisms and metal foreign objects. Firstly, the equivalent circuits for the detection systems of the living organism foreign objects and metal foreign objects are established, respectively, and the working theory of the detection system is analyzed by deriving equations. Secondly, the comb capacitor simulation model was constructed, and the comb capacitor electrode spacing, wire thickness, and capacitor spacing were designed based on the scale factor γ to explore the effects of the height and bottom area of the living organism’s foreign object on the comb capacitor. We constructed a simulation model of the detection coil and designed the inner diameter D, the number of turns N, and the wire spacing S of the detection coil according to the scale factor β. An arrayed detection coil and comb capacitor combination mode is proposed to realize the function of the simultaneous detection of metal and living organism foreign objects, and a compensation capacitor is introduced to keep the detection system in a resonant state. Lastly, a platform for foreign object detection experiments was set up to detect metal screws and beef chunks compared to the detection area without foreign objects. Metal screws entering the detection area cause a 20% voltage drop in the detection circuit resistor, and beef chunks entering the detection area cause a 30% voltage drop in the detection circuit resistor, so the detection method is effective in detecting both metals and living organisms. The feasibility of the combined mode of arrayed detection coils and comb capacitors was verified. Full article

This paper proposes a novel coupling structure wireless power transfer (WPT) technology for improving the charging and recharging efficiency between electric vehicles (EVs) in the case that the transmitting and receiving coils are not exactly aligned. During the process of wireless power transmission, if the relative position of the coils located on each objective is randomly changed, a change in the mutual inductance occurs, which critically leads to fluctuation in the WPT system output. In order to improve the tolerance of the EV WPT system, considering coupling structure misalignment and the deflection caused by relative location changes, a double-layer coupling structure with solenoid pads and double-D pads (SP-DDP coupling structure) is designed for deployment on the side of EVs. Then, the coupling structure is developed through parametrized optimization. Finally, the established coupling structure is evaluated through simulations and an experiment using a prototype, the results of which demonstrate that the proposed coupling structure can achieve good anti-misalignment and anti-deflection performance, realizing a system efficiency of 92.65% and an output power of 192.02 W for the designed EV WPT system. Full article