Fundamentals of Inductive Power Transfer
Pr. Grans A. Kovic
Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering Department at The University of Auckland
Abstract: Currently, there is a strong drive to electrify the transportation sector as a solution to the environmental and economic impacts of vehicles using internal combustion engines. However, to-date, limitations of battery technologies have hindered the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs). For example, the main drawbacks commonly associated with EVs are the limited range and long charging times, both of which are a direct result of the low energy and power densities of current battery technologies. These issues are further aggravated due to the fact that the EVs need to be plugged-in to refuel, as it can take many hours to fully-charge a depleted EV battery. Although, fast and extreme fast charging systems have been developed and deployed to help EV users refuel in a fraction of an hour, this is achieved at the expense of battery life and user safety. In contrast, wireless charging of stationary and in-motion electric vehicles promises a future where EVs are replenished organically, thus avoiding long charging times, range anxiety and battery degradation. An ubiquitous wireless charging infrastructure, especially one that is bi-directional, can be used to provide grid services, thus not only drastically improving the uptake of EVs, but also supporting grids with high penetration of renewable electricity. This workshop will start with a brief discussion on the history of wireless power transfer (WPT) technology. Subsequently, the fundamental operating principles of a wireless EV charger will be presented, and commonly used wireless charging and magnetic solutions will be reviewed. This will be followed by a discussion on some of the unique magnetic topologies developed by the WPT research group at the University of Auckland, highlighting their key features and benefits. To conclude the presentation, we will work through a few design examples and validate these designs using LTspice and Ansys Maxwell simulation models. After completing this workshop, the participants can continue to work on the coupled WPT project as a team to further their understanding. Details about the project and how to download the software needed for the project as well as to follow the design examples covered in the workshop can be accessed from https://www.wpw2022.org/simulators/.
Speaker's Bio: Grant A. Covic (S’88-M’89-SM’04) is a full professor with the Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering Department at The University of Auckland (UoA). He began working on inductive power transfer in the mid 90’s, and by early 2000’s was jointly leading a team focused on AGV and EV charging solutions. He has published more than 200 international refereed papers in this field, worked with over 30 PhDs and filed over 40 patent families, all of which are licensed to various global companies in specialised application fields. Together with Prof. John Boys he co-foundered HaloIPT and was awarded the NZ Prime Minister’s Science Prize, amongst others for successful scientific and commercialization of this research. He is a fellow of both Engineering New Zealand, and the Royal Society of New Zealand. Presently he heads inductive power research at the UoA, is directing a government funded research program on stationary and dynamic wireless charging of EVs within the road, while also co-leading the interoperability sub-team within the SAE J2954 wireless charging standard for EV
Fundamentals of Inductive Power Transfer
Dr Duleepa J. Thrimawithana
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Auckland
Abstract: See abstract of Pr. Grans A. Kovic.
Speaker's Bio: Duleepa J. Thrimawithana (M’06-SM’18), received his BE in Electrical Engineering (with First Class Honors) in 2005 and his Ph.D. in power electronics in 2009 from The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. From 2005 to 2008, he worked in collaboration with Tru-Test Ltd. in Auckland as a Research Engineer in the areas of power converters and high-voltage pulse generator design. He joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of Auckland in 2009 where he currently works as a Senior Lecturer. He has co-authored over 100 international journal and conference publications and holds 18 patent families on wireless power transfer technologies. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to engineering as an early carrier researcher, Dr. Thrimawithana received the Jim and Hazel D. Lord Fellowship in 2014. His main research areas include wireless power transfer, power electronics and renewable energy.
Radiative Wireless Power Transfer
Dr. Kyriaki Niotaki
Associate Professor at Télécom Paris, France
Abstract: Under preparation
Speaker's Bio: Dr. Kyriaki Niotaki is an associate professor at Télécom Paris, France. She obtained her Ph.D. from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in 2014 for her thesis on the design of efficient microwave power amplifier systems. After her PhD studies she spent a few years in industry as an RF Design Engineer before returning to academia. Her main research interests lie in the field of RF, microwave and millimeter wave circuits and systems for wireless networks and the Internet of Things applications.
Practical Implementation of Wireless Power Transfer
Pr. Hubregt J. Visser
University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Abstract: Since the invention of radio (Hertz, Marconi) at the end of the 19th century, far field transfer of energy has been feasible. Although radio has been further developed for the transfer of information, the idea of long-distance Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) was picked up from the beginning by Nikola Tesla and was clearly demonstrated by Harrell Noble from Westinghouse at the Chicago World Fair in 1933-1934, after which interest decreased. The availability of compact, high-power microwave sources regained the interest in WPT and in 1964, William Brown from Raytheon demonstrated a wirelessly powered model helicopter. Again, interest decreased, since radiative WPT cannot, in a practical way, power or charge mobile phones, tablets or laptops over several meters distance. For that, inductive (resonant) WPT over very short distances has been developed. Accepting that ‘power through the air’ is feasible only for ultra-low power applications, we can concentrate now on IoT devices such as sensors and headphones and remotes. Given the ultra-low power levels, the design of a long-distance WPT receiver is a non-trivial task. In this lecture, the different building blocks of such a receiver, i.e., antenna, rectifier, boost converter and load, will be discussed. This will be done by going through the design steps of a couple of practical, remotely powered applications like an electrical clock, a temperature sensor with display and a wireless temperature and humidity sensor. Use will be made of analytical equations, open source software for electromagnetic analysis and open source circuit analysis software. Links to this software will be provided. At the end of the lecture, the student will be able to design his own far field wireless power receiver.
Speaker's Bio: Hubregt J. Visser received the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, in 1989. In 1990, after fulfilling his military service at TNO Physics and Electronics Laboratory, The Hague, The Netherlands, he joined the same laboratory as a civilian. He has participated in projects concerning nearfield antenna measurements, monolithic microwave integrated circuits design, and phased-array antenna design. In 1996 - 1997, he was stationed at the European Space Research and Technology Centre, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, where he worked on array antenna modeling. In 2001 he joined TNO Science and Industry, Eindhoven, working on antenna miniaturization. In 2009 he joined imec, The Netherlands, where he works on Wireless Power Transfer. Also, in 2009 he obtained a Ph.D. from Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Since 2014 he is a full professor at Eindhoven University of Technology where he teaches antenna theory. Hubregt was co-organizer and co-chair of the IEEE 2019 Wireless Power Week in London. He holds 12 patents, has written seven book chapters and is author of the books ‘Array and Phased Array Antenna Basics’ (Wiley, 2005), ‘Approximate Antenna Analysis for CAD’ (Wiley, 2009) and ‘Antenna Theory and Applications’ (Wiley, 2012).
