Development and implementation of a wireless inductive power transfer system

Abstract

Wireless charging methods have recently uncharted new terrain. The upgrading of commercial products warrants a tenable solution for the charging bottleneck inherent in traditionally portable battery-powered electronics. Since any technology by default requires a source of electricity, the uses of wireless power transmission systems are virtually endless. Wireless charging of hand-held electronics is currently the most popular implementation but it is not the only valid alternative. Such a transfer system may be used in a variety of applications, from household items to large commercial applications, providing improved comfort and a better degree of protection from the electrical source. At this time, the most well-known standard is the Qi international wireless charging standard, which utilizes magnetic induction to provide cordless power to small equipment up to 15W. The Wireless Power Consortium has introduced the Ki Cordless Kitchen standard, which provides wireless power to appliances everything from low-powered juicers to kettles and other heating appliances that require up to 2.2kW of power. The transmitter for power transmission, the inductive coils in this case as the antenna, receiver, and the rectifier to convert AC to DC are the four components of a wireless power transfer system. This dissertation presents the design and implementation of a wireless inductive power transfer (WIPT) system. In order to bridge the gap between current standards and a higher power system, two approaches were taken. The first system consists of a WIPT system using the Qi standard. The second system comprises a high power WIPT system. The research methodology was set up to guarantee that each module could be thoroughly tested to ensure that its objective in the overall system design is achieved.