Analysis of Transmission Mechanism and Efficiency

of Resonance Coupling Wireless Energy

Transfer System
Wenzhen Fu, Bo Zhang Member IEEE, Dongyuan Qiu Member IEEE, Wei Wang
College of Electric Engineering South China University of Technology
Guangzhou, P. R. China, 510641
Abstract- Resonance coupling is a new technology for wireless
energy transmission, which can transfer energy in middle
distance. This paper analyzed the wireless transmission
mechanism based on the coupling model of two spatial isolated
hollow coils, and studied the relationship among efficiency,
frequency, distance and coil sizes. Further more, the maximum
efficiency condition was obtained to optimize the design of
resonance coupling system. Experimental results have validated
the proposed design method.

However, resonance coupling is a new conception in the

wireless energy transmission system. Theories about it are
still very little and studies about it are only from physics
[10-11]. This paper analyzed the transmission mechanism and
the

relationships

among

the

efficiency,

frequency,

transmission distance and so on. Experimental results had

validated the proposed design, which supplied theory basis for

I. INTRODUCTION

the further closed-loop control to resonance coupling system.

For many years, wireless energy transmission is a dream of

II. TRANSMISSION MODEL ANALYSIS

human beings. Some foreign scientists dedicated to the study,

A. The resonance coupling principle

but little progress has been made [1-3]. Until 2007, scientists
in MIT had a breakthrough in the principle of wireless energy

Non-contectless wireless energy transmission has been

transmission, and carried out a middle distance wireless

developed recently, which bases on the principle of

energy

electromagnetism induction. That is, when AC source passes

transmission

by

resonance

coupling

of

through a coil, magnetic field will be generated around the

electromagnetism, where its efficiency was about 40% [4].

Comparing with previous non-contact wireless transmission

coil. At the moment, if another coil is put aside it, the

technology, resonance coupling has some essential differences.

magnetic field will also appear around the other coil, which is

One is that the transmission distance is longer, which break

the reason that the wireless energy transmission is set up

through the distance limit of only 1cm by electromagnetic

between those two coils. Like that, resonance coupling is a

induction; Another one is that the transmission power is

special circumstance of non-contectless wireless energy

bigger, which is the power level from a few watts to several

transmission, where the special is: all coils used for resonance

hundreds watts comparing to the milliwatts level by radio

coupling operate in resonant state. Resonance occurs when

wave. Therefore, resonance coupling is expected as a new

the self-resonant frequency of coils equal to the frequency of

technology of having longer transmission distance and bigger

AC power supply, when the equivalent circuits of coils in high

power transferred. So, it is more credible and flexible than the

frequency have the minimum impedance. Then, the most

traditional non-contactless wireless energy transmission

energy will be transferred from the resonant path.

system [6-7].It might be truly practical. To explore its

The schematic of resonance coupling wireless energy

transmission mechanism and characteristics in depth are of

transmission system was showed in fig.1.It includes two

great practical significance [8-9].

spatial isolated hollow coils: one is LS, which sends the

energy inducted from the high frequency power supply; the

Project

Supported

by National Natural Science

Foundation

of

other is LD, which receives energy from LS. These two coils

China

have the same sizes and operate at the resonant state.

(NSFC)(50507004) , Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(07006515) and

Hi-tech research and development program of China(863)(2007AA05Z229).

2163

Z D Vi
IS =
Z S Z D + ( M )2
.

A R1

High
frequency
power
amplifier

High frequency
Oscillation
circuit

L1

LD

LS

LW RL

j M Vi
ID =
Z S Z D + ( M ) 2
.

B
D

From (2) and (3), the equivalent impedance of those two

loops would be changed after coupling, because there was

In addition, from fig.1, the high frequency oscillation

were

(3)

Where ZSZD were the self-impedance of coils LS and LD.

Fig.1 Schematic of resonance coupling wireless energy transfer system

circuit and power amplifier

(2)

used to generate

high-frequency power source; Hollow coil L1 would launch

mutual inductance between coils LS and LD. The reflection

energy into its adjacent coil LS; Resistor R1 was used to

impedance ZDS from LS to LD and ZSD from LD to LS were

measure coil current; LW and RL composed load receiving

expressed as

loop. In order to reduce the impact of load loop to the

self-resonant frequency of coil LD, LW was made into a

Z DS =

( M ) 2
ZS

(4)

Z SD =

( M )2
ZD

(5)

single-turn coil and it could consider the load loop as pure

resistor circuit. Coil LW induced energy from the coil LD and
passed them to the load RL. Thus, the entire wireless energy
transmission was completed.

Because the impedance ZS and ZD were not only including

B. Mutual inductance model of resonance coupling

and LD were taken into account. Hollow coil was usually

resistance but also reactance, as in (4) and (5), it was the same
with the reflection impedance ZDS and ZSD. In the resonance

equaled to RLC loop in high-frequency. In that coupling

coupling system, reflection resistance would dissipate energy,

model, it must consider the voltage source inducing from

and the self-resonant frequency of coils would be affected by

emission source, the equivalent load resistor from the load

the reflection reactance. So, the coupling system maybe

loop to LD and other factors. So, the simple equivalent mutual

detune, which would result in most of energy lost. In order to

inductance model of coils LS, LD was shown in fig.2, where Vi

was the inducing voltage source; RS, RD, CS, CD were the

avoid serious detune, suppose LS and LD operating in an ideal

resonant state, the reflection reactance would be zero and the

parasitical parameters of the coils; RW was the equivalent load,

reflection

To simplify analysis, only two resonance coupling coils LS

here RWRL; LS, LD were the coils inductance; M was the

Vi

IS

LS

LD

..
CS

ID

respectively

described

as

impedances of coils loop were expressed as:

RD

were

ZSD = (M )2 RD + RW and Z DS = ( M ) 2 RS .So, the equivalent

mutual inductance and D was the transmission distance.

RS

impedance

Z S ' = Z S + Z SD = RS +

RW

( M )2
RD + RW

CD

Z D ' = Z D + Z DS = RD + RW +

Fig. 2 Equivalent coupling circuit of two coils

From fig. 2, suppose the transmission frequency was , the

state equation of this coupling model could be listed as:
1

.
j M
I
. RS + j (LS C )
V
S
.S
i =
1
0
RD + RW + j (LD
) I D
j M

C D

( M ) 2
RS

(6)

(7)

III. TRANSMISSION EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS

A. Efficiency comparing between resonance and
non-resonance
The input power of coil LS and output power of load RW

(1)

were induced based on fig.2 and (1)(4),which were

Based on (1), currents of coils LS and LD were calculated

out

2164

Pout =

into (11) and obtaining the efficiency

Vi 2 Z D
Z S Z D + ( M ) 2

(8)

Vi 2 ( M )2 RW
[ Z S Z D + ( M )2 ]2

(9)

Pin =

4 =

( M ) 2 RW
100%
( RD + RW )[ RS ( RD + RW ) + ( M ) 2 ]

(14)

Comparing the denominators of (11)(14), according to

the magnitude, wireless energy transmission efficiencies in
those four states were arranged as: LS and LD resonance > only

So, the transmission efficiency between coils was

LD resonance > only LS resonance > no resonance. That was

( M )2 RW
100%
=
Z D [ Z S Z D + ( M ) 2 ]

(10)

because the resonance coupling state had the smallest

equivalent impedance so that its current across coils would be

If self-resonance didn't occur to LS and LD, i.e, there

1
1
were LS
0 and LD
0 coming into
CS
CD

bigger than other states. The bigger the coils current was, the

existence. Here, energy was transferred by electromagnetic

distance. So, resonance coupling was the most effective

induction, and (10) could be expressed as

method among wireless energy transmission system.

1 =

( M ) RW

more the coils magnetic energy was, which would increase

the transmission energy and improve the transmission

B. Efficiency analysis of resonance coupling

[ RD + RW + j ( LD C )]
D

)]
[ RS + j ( LS

CS

1
[ R + R + j ( L
)]
W
D
D
CD

+( M )

100%

(11)

From antenna theories, the loss of hollow coil in high

frequency include ohm loss Ro and radiation loss Rr, which are
expressed as [4]
Ro =

0
Rr =
0

If self-resonance only occurred to coil LS, i.e, Z S = RS , then,

( M ) 2 RW
1

[ RD + RW + j ( LD C )]
D

R [ R + R + j ( L 1 )]
W
D
S D
CD

+( M )2

100%

( M ) 2 RW
100%
( RD + RW )

[ R + j ( L 1 )]
S
S

CS

( RD + RW ) + ( M ) 2

(16)

the coil radius; n is the coil number of turns ; is the

conductivityl is the wire length ; 0 is the dielectric constant;

(12)

h is the coil length; c is the light velocity.

In order to keep coils LS and LD having the same
self-resonant frequency, there got the same sizes for coils LS
and LD, i.e. nS=nD=n, rS=rD=r. Then, the mutual inductance
between two coils is [12]

Similarly, if self-resonance only occurred to coil LD,

i.e, Z D = RD + RW , equation (11) could be changed again as

3 =

2
2 r 4
2 h
n
+ 3

12 c 3 c

(15)

Where 0 is the space permeability; a is the wire radius; r is

(11) could be changed as

2 =

0 l
0 nr
=
2 2 a
2 a

0 r 4 n

(17)
2 D3
The optimum frequency range for the middle distance

(13)

resonance coupling system was 150MHz, then Rr << Ro .

The coil loss is ohm loss Ro mostly, i.e. RS = RD Ro [4].
Basing on (14), the efficiency was changed as

4 =

Lastly, there was the resonance coupling state, where

self-resonance occurred to coils LS and LD at the same time.
There were Z S = RS and Z D = RD + RW existed, taking them

( M )2 RW
100%
( Ro + RW )[ Ro 2 + RW Ro + ( M ) 2 ]

(18)

Taking (15) and (17) into (18),the relationships would be

2165

obvious among the transmission efficiency , transmission

As the coil parameters of section III, the loss resistor Ro was

distance D, frequency and coils sizesa, r, n.To make this

4.6 by (15); If 35% was the design maximum transmission

relationship clear, there took a true coil parameters as an

efficiency, the load RW was 10 by (20); Then, the mutual

example, such as: a=0.15mm, r=21mm,n=41,h=13mm.

inductance M=0.1405uH was obtained by (19). From (18), the

Self-resonant frequency of this size was calculated as 10MHz.

transmission distance D was calculated as 5cm, which had a

So, the resonance coupling system must operate at this

concordance with the fig. 3.

frequency. Then, the relationship curves among , D and RW

From the analysis above, when D=5cm, in that coil

parameters, the maximum efficiency was only 35%. It was

were shown in fig.3.

From fig. 3, if RW was fixed, would decrease rapidly with

because that the wire radius was very small and the coil turns

D increasing; when D was fixed, would increase to its

were too much, which led to a very big coil loss in high

maximum value firstly and then fall down along with RW

frequency. In order to reduce the coil loss, from (15), it should

increasing continually. For example, when D=5cm, the

choose heavy wire and reduce the coil turns as far as possible.

maximum efficiency was about 35% and its corresponding

Also, silver plated copper wire can be used to increase

resistor RW was 10. So, basing on this relationship curves, it

conductivity to reduce coil loss. In addition, from (18),

could be better to choose a optimal parameters include DRW

increasing coil radius r can increase the transmission distance

and coil sizes.

D.
IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

100.0%
90.0%

A resonance coupling wireless transfer prototype was

80.0%

developed, which was shown in fig.4. The coil sizes of this

(%)

70.0%
60.0%

system were analyzed in section III. At the parameters, the

50.0%

actual self-resonant frequency was measured as 10 0.5MHz.

40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
1

25

RW()

50 1

13

17

21 25

D(cm)

Fig.3 the relation curves among transmission efficiency, distance D and

resistance RW

C. Condition of maximum efficiency

When the coil parameters and distance D were fixed, the
maximum

efficiency

condition

of

wireless

energy

transmission system could be obtained by differentiating (18),

Fig.4 Prototype of experimental device

which was
( M )2 = RW 2 Ro 2
When it was satisfied, the efficiency expressed as
R Ro
max = W
100%
RW + Ro

In the experiment, Colpitts oscillator was used to produce

(19)

high-frequency signal that was amplified to be a power supply

by a power amplifier. The output of the power amplifier was a
standard sine wave; Resistor R1 was a high frequency sample

(20)

resistance of 0.27; Because the output impedance of the

power amplifier was generally as 50, the hollow coil

From (20), the maximum value could reach to 100%

if RW >> Ro . However, as seeing in (18), an inverse relation

L1should be 5uH; For load matching of coupling system ,

existed between the distance D and mutual inductance M, so

was D and ( RW 2 RO 2 ) . So, the greater efficiency was, the

RL RW=10 .

smaller distance would be. There was only one maximum

input in high-frequency power amplifier was (20V, 0.9A).

Experimental results were obtained when the DC source

efficiency value for a fixed coil and fixed distance.

2166

The output voltage of power amplifier and voltage of resistor

resonant coil respectively, the voltage of load was increased

R1 were shown in fig.5.

slowly. However, in fig.6 (d), the coils were all in resonant

state, so that the voltage was bigger than before and at that
time, the power was calculated as (5.3)2 10 = 2.8W .Thereby,
the

efficiency = (2.8 8.63) 100% = 32%

transmission

from L1 to load RL was obtained. Due to the energy should be

induced from LI to LS by the electromagnetic induction
between two hollow coils, there was some energy consumed.
Comparing the theoretical value 35%, the actual efficiency of
resonance coupling system 32% was acceptable.
Keeping LS and LD in resonant state, the efficiency and the
output voltage were shown in fig.7 when changing the load
resistor RL and the distance D.
Fig.5 the output voltage waveforms of power amplification and resistance R1
40.00%

Based on fig. 5, the power of coil L1was calculated as:

Theory

35.00%
The efficiency values(%)

PL1 = U AB I R1 cos PR1

2

1.03
(1.03)
cos(85.67)
= 8.63W
0.27
0.27
In the experiment, the self-resonant frequency of coils were
= 43.6

changed by adjusting turns nS and nD to make the coils LS and

Experiment

30.00%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
5

LD operating in different states from non-resonance to

10

15

20

25

30

Load resistor RL( )

resonance. When D=5cm, RL=10, the load voltage in all

circumstances were shown in fig.6.

(a) Efficiency curves in different load when D=5cm

35.00

V O (50mV/div)

Time:40ns/div

(a) nS=nD=60, non-resonating

Peak values of the maximum

output(V)

VO(50mV/div)

Time:40ns/div

(b) nS=41,nD=60, LS resonating

theory

47 matching
load

30.00

experiment

25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00

10

5.00

0.00

V O (50mV/div)

V o (5V/div)

10
15
Distance(cm)

20

(b) Maximum output voltages when D was changed

Fig.7 Experimental results when load and distance were changed
Time:40ns/div

(c) nS=60,nD =41, LD resonating

From fig.7, the efficiency changed with the load changing

Time:40ns/div

and the output voltage decreased when distance D become

longer, which proved the theories very well.

(d) nS=nD=41, resonating

In addition, another four different coils were used to

Fig.6 the voltage waveforms of load when the windings varied from no

experiment for much better to validate the resonance coupling

resonance to resonance when D=5cm

In fig.6, the load voltage gradually increased during the

wireless energy transmission. In the condition of self-resonant

process of coil turns changed, which was the same with the

frequency 10MHz, the coils sizes(a, r, n) were listed as

theories analyzed before. In fig.6 (a), there were no resonant

follows: 10.06,21,40; 20.15,21,41; 30.2,22,48;

coils, so the waveform of load was distorted and the value

40.22,25,40; 50.36,25,50;(note: the units of a and

was very small. In fig.6 (b) and (c), although they all had one

r were mm); The efficiency curve in those different coils was

2167

shown in fig.8. Comparing the results in fig. 8, the efficiency

channel adddrop filters [J]. IEEE journal of quantum electronics,

increased when the wire radius a and the coils radius r

1999, 35(9): 1322-1331

increased. The efficiency of coil 5 could reach to 60%.

[4]

Andr Kurs, Aristeidis Karalis, Robert Moffatt, J. D. Joannopoulos,

Peter Fisher, Marin Soljai. Wireless power transfer via strongly

Maximum efficiency values(%)

80.00%

coupled magnetic resonances [J]. Sciencexpress, June 2007 / Page1-4

Theory
Experim ent

70.00%

[5]

Ying Wu, Luguang Yan, Changgang Huang, Shangang. Xu.

Performance analysis of new contactless electrical energy transmission
system [J]. Advanced technology of electrical engineering and
energy,2003,22(4 ):10-13

[6]

Wu YingYan LuguangXu Shangang.. Stability analysis of the new

60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%

contactless power delivery system.[J]. Proceedings of CSEE 2004

10.00%
0.00%
1

24(5):63-66

[7]

Symbol of coils

Ying Wu, LuGuang Yan, ShanGang Xu. Study on coupling

characteristics of contactless power supply system for moving

Fig.8 Experimental efficiency curve when the coil size was changed

apparatus[J]. Advanced Technology of Electrical Engineering and

As seeing in fig.7 and fig.8, some gaps existed between

Energy,2005(3):5-8

experiment and theory. There were two main reasons to

[8]

Soljai. Wireless non-radiative energy transfer [C]. AIP industrial

[9]

Soljai .Wireless energy transfer can potentially recharge laptops,call

explain it: one was that the theory values were calculated out

physic forum, 2006

neglecting high frequency radiate loss; the other was that the
coils made by manual coiling were not enough accurate. In

phones

despite of them, the experimental results were all acceptable.

November 14, 2006

information

for

[11] Rafif E. Hamam, Aristeidis Karalis, J. D. Joannopoulos, Marin Solja.

coupling wireless energy system was induced in this paper.

Coupled-mode theory for general free-space resonant scattering of

Further, the maximum efficiency and its conditions had been

waves[J]. The American physical society, May 2007, 1-5

obtained, which was used to optimize the entire system.

[12] F. W. Grover, Inductance Calculations[M]. Dover, New York, 2004.

Otherwise, this paper also proved that if resonance coupling

occurred, the transmission efficiency was the largest. Finally,
theories were validated by the experiment and they matched
very well, all of which would be good to design.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors wish to thank all of the reviewers for their
constructive comments, based on which the passage has been
improved.
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V. CONCLUSIONS

[1]

without

C. Manolatou, M. J. Khan, Shanhui Fan, Pierre R. Villeneuve, H. A.

Haus, J. D. Joannopoulos. Coupling of modes analysis of resonant

2168