Wireless Transmission of Electric Energy

Antoine Caillierez, Alain Jaafari, Daniel Sadarnac Suplec Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Abstract-- This article focuses on the wireless transfer of energy. It describes the operation of a transformer without magnetic circuit associated with a resonant inverter to meet the constraints imposed by mobile sources (catenaries with magnetic induction to power electric vehicles). The receiving and transmitting unit consists of an air-gap transformer and a generator who feeds the transformer. We show in this article the method for the determination of such a transformer parameters. A half-bridge series resonant converter feeds the transformer. The secondary of the transformer can move in relation to the primary, which is fixed on the ground. This situation is found in many industrial applications such as light automatic vehicles, tramways, etc. Well positioned on the issue of transfer and non-on the transport of the energy, we will show that the performance of a transformer without magnetic circuit can be equivalent to a standard transformer. Index Terms-- Energy transfer, alimentation of a moving load, transformer, Magnetic catenaries

In our research, we investigated the transfer of electric power wirelessly over short distances ranging from 5 to 10 cm and high power 1 to 3 kW with a high efficiency (80-90%). We target two areas of applications: - The transfer of static electricity in for rapid charging of batteries and supercapacitors (for electric cars or trams). - The power supply in a steady state of electric vehicles (to replace the whole catenary, pantograph by a magnetic system). The latter application uses high power games of several hundred kW. The aim of our work is to show the feasibility of transferring electrical energy to a receiver compatible with our source. We limited our tests to an output of 1 to 3 kW. To validate this concept we conducted an experimental model of 100 W and the results will be discussed in this article. A 3kW test platform will be presented in a future article. The transformer (with a given geometric configuration and a given vertical separation distance Z0 in Fig. 1) is made up of two windings. The primary is fixed. The movements of the secondary are parallel to the primary in a 3D space. A half bridge series resonant converter feeds the primary of the transformer. The voltage across the secondary winding is given by the following formula:

I. INTRODUCTION

he use of a transformer without magnetic circuit is very

old, dating back to the early experiments with electricity scholars Tesla, Fraraday... which showed that two mutually coupled coils can exchange energy. A magnetic circuit called transformer in the electrical jargon achieved the coupling. The experiments without magnetic circuit showed a low energy transfer, with poor performers from 20 to 30% hence the use of this principle in the application of data transfer and not power. The development of power electronics (static converter, diode, transistor, IGBT, MOS power) revival these early experiments transformer. Indeed, one can replace the magnetic circuit by coupling HF. The movement or transfer of electric power wireless is no longer a myth but a reality; several laboratories have undertaken research in this area. There are two categories of applications: - The transport that operates using microwaves to carry the energy in space, tests performed at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have demonstrate that we can power a 60 watt lamp at a distance of 4 to 5 meters from the transmitter. - The transfer, which implements the use of an air-gap transformer whose primary is fixed and the secondary mobile. Embedded electronic systems in automobiles, streetcars, avionics, medicine, robotics, have contributed to the development of embedded generators and transfer of electrical energy on these systems.

As showed in this expression, the induced voltage is in relation to the number of winding, the flux and the frequency. However, increase the size and the number of windings affects the efficiency of the transformer and, to higher frequency, losses in semiconductors and skin effect in coils are greater. The transformer parameters on which the energy transfers depend are: - The transformer dimensions and geometry, - The number, thickness and width of the primary and secondary windings as well as their self-inductance, and internal resistance, - The mutual inductance between the primary and the secondary which depend on the distance between them, - The working frequency. The energy transfer also depends on the losses in the semiconductor devices in the half bridge converter. To determine the various parameters of the transformer, we choose the analytical formulations because they have the

U = N!!

advantage of being fast in calculation time compared with numerical methods and of being close to the observed results [5]. In our approach, we suppose a pair circuits coupled by mutual inductance and characterized by their resistance and self-inductance constitute the two windings of the transformer. First (section II), we show how to determine the mutual inductance between two rectangular shape windings, then (Section III) the self-inductance and resistance of eachwinding. Lastly (Section IV), we present the application and results.

The NEUMANN expression shows the scalar product between the two wire contours. Thus, the mutual inductance between two perpendicular wires is zero. In our case, each winding is made up of several straight wires. The two windings are parallel (Fig. 1). Thus, the mutual inductance is reduced to that between two parallel wires. The mutual inductance between two windings A and B is:

Z
Primary
Where

M AB = ma b j
j =1 j =1, j i

NA

NB

(2)

ma b is the mutual inductance between the straight i j

wire ai of winding A and the straight wire bj of the winding B [3],[6]. NA and NB are their respective number of straight wires. The mutual inductance between two parallel straight wires (Fig. 3) deduced from expression (1) is:

Z0 ys xs X
Fig.1 Spatial configuration of the transformer

Secondary
M f = 0.001[f (l3-l1) f (l3+l2) + f (l2+l3-l1) - f (l3)]
(3)

Where f(x) = x.Ln (x+ II. MUTUAL INDUCTANCE According to the NEUMANN formula [1], the mutual inductance between two wires (C1) and (C2) of respective lengths l1 and l2 is: x and

x2 + 2 ) H.

x2 + 2

are in cm, Mf
y

in

l2 l3

r r dl1 .dl2 M 12 = v v 4 l l r1 r2

(1) l1

1 2

Where 0 is the permeability of a vacuum

z
C1 C2

Fig. 3 Mutual inductance between two parallel wire conductors.

III. SELF-INDUCTANCE AND RESISTANCE The resistance and the self-inductance of each winding depend on the frequency. The higher the frequency, the higher the Joule effect losses. To determine the resistance and the self-inductance we have subdivided each winding into several elementary windings (Fig. 4). As in the case of the mutual inductance between two windings, the mutual inductance exists between two elementary windings in the same winding.

r1

dl1

dl2

r2

x
Fig. 2. Conducting wires coupled by mutual inductance.

LRect

0. l0 2 .

8.l0 ln w 1

(9)

l0, w are in (m) and LRect in (H). Thus the total current flowing through each winding is deduced from expression (4): (a) (b)

Fig. 4: (a) Winding geometry, (b) Equivalent schema for the calculation of the resistance and the self-inductance

I tot = (

y
j =1 i =1

ij

). V

(10)

The voltage across the terminal of each elementary winding is: V = ri Ii + j

I .M
j j =1

And the expression for the equivalent impedance of a winding is: Z( ) = R( ) + j L( ) =

ji

(4)

Where: ri is the DC resistance of the elementary winding (i), Ij is the current flowing through the elementary winding (j), n is the number of elementary subdivisions, Mji is calculated in the way indicated in paragraph 2. In matrix form we obtain:

y
j =1 i =1

1
n ij

(11)

IV. APPLICATION AND RESULTS A half bridge series resonant converter feeds the primary of the transformer.

r 1.I1 + jL1 jM12 ...... jM1n I1 jM 21 r2 I 2 + jL2 . . . . . . (V )= . . .. . . . . .. . jM n1 . . . r n I n + jLn I n

Where:

(5)

[V]=[Z].[I]
or

(6) (7)
Fig. 5: Electric converter for contactless power transfer

[ I ]=[Y].[V]

[Z] is the impedance matrix [Y] is the admittance matrix Mii =Li is the self inductance of an elementary winding, Li is the sum of the self-inductances of the straight section making up the elementary winding (i) added to twice the sum of the mutual inductances between the straight elementary wires of elementary winding (i)[4][7]

The switching frequency and the supply voltage of the half bridge converter are respectively 75 kHz and 42 V. The primary and the secondary are tuned to the same switching frequency. Losses in the semiconductor devices are estimated at 3,2W. With these data, we would like to obtain the maximum power in the secondary winding for a vertical distance Z0=4 cm. Using the formulation described in paragraph 2 and 3, we have determined the variation of the maximum power in the secondary. This maximum power is a function of the number of turns in the two windings, (Fig. 6). Examination of these curves shows clearly that for np = 6 to 9 and ns = 7 to 13 the maximum power reaches 95 W. np and ns are respectively the number of turns of the primary and secondary windings. In view of the results we have adopted the following values for the primary and secondary windings of the transformer: np = 9, ns = 6.

Li =

l ji +
j =1

N m =1

N mi ji

m
j =1

(8)

N is the number of straight elementary wires, lij is the inductance of the straight section (j) of the elementary winding (i), Mmi ji is the mutual inductance between the straight sections (m) and (j) of the winding (i), For the calculation of l ij we use the expression for the self inductance of an inductor of length (l0) and width (w):

100 90
maximum power in secondary in W

20

x 10

-7

ns : number of turns in secondary winding

15

Theoretical Observed

80
Mutual inductance in H

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 x o + ns=2 ns=6 ns=13 ns=15

10

10 15 20 np : number of turns in primary winding

25

30

-5 -30

-20

-10

10

20

30

Displacement y in cm

Fig. 6. Variation of the secondary power as a function as primary and secondary turns.

Fig. 8. Variation of the mutual inductance as a function as a lateral displacement of the secondary winding X=0, Z=7cm

A. Mutual inductance Theoretical and observed curves of Fig. 7 and 8 shows mutual inductance between the windings for displacement along the Y axis with X=0 and for 2 heights, Z=1cm (Fig. 7), Z =7cm (Fig. 8).
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 -2 -4 -30 x 10
-6

The theoretical and observed curves are quite close. The discrepancy between the two curves is about 7%. For Z=1cm, the maximum mutual inductance received in the secondary winding is 16H, it is obtained when the axis coincide. By doing a shift depending on the y-axis, the mutual inductance decreases. The mutual inductance is cancelled for |y|=8 to 9 cm then changes sign and becomes negative. This is due to inversely of the current in the secondary winding. Thus the useful zone for information transmission is |y| < 8cm. For Z=7cm, the maximum mutual inductance received in the secondary winding is 2H, it is obtained when the axis coincide. When the distance between the two windings increases, the magnetic coupling decreases. B. Secondary Power Figure 9 shows the variation of the secondary power as a function as a vertical displacement of the secondary winding. The examination of the curves shows that for a vertical displacement with axes of two windings coinciding (X=Y=0), the power is low when the primary and secondary are close. Indeed, the secondary power received decreases when the distance between the two windings is small, thus the impedance seen by the primary is very high. The maximum power is obtained for Z = 3 to 4cm, beyond Z = 4cm the power decreases.

Theoretical Observed

Mutual inductance in H

-20

-10

10

20

30

Displacement y in cm

Fig. 7. Variation of the mutual inductance as a function as a lateral displacement of the secondary winding, X=0, Z=1cm

100 90

80

P ower in secondary winding in W

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 5 10 15 20

x=0cm, y=0cm - Theoritical o Observed

Power secondary winding in W

Theoretical Observed 70

60

50

40

30

20

10

25

30

35

40

0 -30

-20

-10

10

20

30

D isplacement z in cm

Displacement y in cm

Fig. 9. Power in secondary winding versus displacement Z (X=Y=0)

Fig. 11. Power in secondary winding versus displacement Y (X=0) for Z =7 cm.

We can see in Fig. 10 and 11 the variation of the secondary power as a function as a lateral displacement (Y) of the secondary winding

For Z = 1cm and X=0, we note that the power is equal zero for two positions |Y| = 8cm. In these positions, the mutual inductance is zero. The maximum power of 95W is obtained for four positions |Y|=6 cm and 10 cm. We can also note the relative minimum power when the axes of windings coincide. The impedance seen by the primary is very high. We thus have tight coupling; this coupling depends on the space but not the frequency. For 6<|Y|<10 cm the coupling is critical; beyond, the coupling is loose.
100 90 80
Power in secondary winding in W

For Z > 4 cm the curve presents one maximum, which is obtained when the axes coincide; Beyond, Z = 4 cm the coupling is still loose. We see in Fig. 11 that for Z = 7cm, the power received on the secondary winding is 75W. Indeed for this distance between the two windings, magnetic coupling decreases slightly. V. CONCLUSION This paper illustrates a new method for wireless transfer of electric energy and information. This system is used for alimentation of moving load. An air transformer realizes the transfer of energy. We have shown on this article the determination of the air transformer parameters. The secondary can move in relation to the primary. The approach used is based on analytical formulations. The results have been shown to be in good agreement with measurements, thus validating the proposed method.
VI. REFERENCES

theoretical Observerd

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 -30

[1] H.SADKI, Contribution la distribution et loptimisation de lnergie lectrique dans lautomobile du futur , PHD of the University of Jules Verne in Picardie, September 2003. [2] N. Hemche, Etude et mise en uvre du transfert sans contact de lnergie lectrique et de linformation dans les systmes embarqus , PHD of University Jules Verne in Picardie, December 2007. [3] S.Y. (Ron) Hui, S.C. Tang & H. Chung, Characterization of Coreless Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Transformers,, IEEE Trans ON Power Electronics.Vol.15, no.6, May 2000.

-20

-10

10

20

30

Desplacement y in cm

Fig. 10. Power in secondary winding versus displacement Y (X=0) for Z = 1 cm.

[4] A. Kawamura, K. Ishioka & J. Hirai, Wireless Transmission of Power and Information through One High Frequency Resonant AC Link Inverter for Robot Manipulator Applications, IEEE Trans. On Industry Applications, Vol.32, no.3, May/ juin 1996, pp.503-508 [5] SS. Mohan, MM. Hershenson, SP. Boyd & TH. Lee, Simple Accurate Expressions for Planar Spiral Inductances, IEEE Journal of Solid-state Circuits, Vol.34, no.10, October 1999, pp.1419-1424. [6] P.L. Kalantrarov & L.A. Tseitlin Calculation of inductance, Third edition, [Russian], Leningrad: Energoatomizdat, 1986, pp. 102-104 [7] F.E. Terman, Radio engineers handbook, McGraw Hill, New York, 1943. [8] S.C. Tang, S.Y. (Ron) Hui & Henry Shu-Hung Chung, Coreless Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Transformers with Multiple Secondary Windings for Complementary Gate drive Circuits,, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS.VOL.14, NO.3, MAY 1999. [9] L.B.GRAVELLE & F. WILSON, EMI/EMC in Printed Circuit Boards A Literature Review IEEE Trans. On EMC, Vol.34, no.2, May 1992, pp.109116

VII.

BIOGRAPHIES

Alain jaafari is full Professor of power electronics in the University of Jules Verne of Picardie. He supervises the transport team of the Laboratory of innovating Technologies of the University Picardy Jules Verne. He is member of the National committee of the University and President of the Club Transport of the SEE. Its recent work concerns the wireless energy transfer. alain.jaafari@u-picardie.fr Daniel Sadarnac is a full professor of power electronics in the Superior School of electricity (Supelec), Gif sur Yvette, France. Daniel.sadarnac@supelec.fr Antoine Caillierez received the engineers degree in electronic and electrotechnic from the ESIEE engineering school, Amiens, France, in 2010. He is currently a ph.D student in electrical engineering in Supelec, Gif sur Yvette, France. His research is about the wireless power transfer for electric vehicles. antoine.caillierez@supelec.fr