Multi sub-coil flux pipe couplers and their use in a misalignment-adaptive wireless power transfer system

ABSTRACT

Flux pipe couplers are compact coils used in wireless power transfer (WPT) applications. The first part of this paper investigates the effect number of sub-coils on the magnetic characteristics. Flux pipe couplers with more than two sub-coils exhibit higher coupling coefficient as compared to traditional flux pipe couplers with two sub-coils. Furthermore, multi sub-coil flux pipe couplers better distribute the magnetic flux inside the core, making them attractive in high power applications. The second part presents an experimental WPT system employing multi sub-coil flux pipe couplers with three sub-coils. More than 82% power transfer efficiency is observed when couplers are separated with 100 mm vertical gap. Lateral misalignments up to 200 mm are then applied, and meantime, the separation between sub-coils is varied for achieving maximum efficiency. A near-constant efficiency is obtained up to 150 mm misalignment. Therefore, this paper announces another potential use of flux pipe couplers realizing an adaptive WPT system.

KEYWORDS:

• Adaptive wireless power transfer
• flux pipe coupler
• misalignment tolerance

ORCID

Seyit Ahmet Sis http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3740-2391

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Seyit Ahmet Sis

Seyit Ahmet Sis received the B.S. degree in electronics engineering from the Gebze Institute of Technology, Kocaeli, Turkey, in 2005, the M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA, in 2008, and the Ph.D. degree from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, in 2014. From 2005 to 2007, he was with the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK-UEKAE), Kocaeli. He is currently an Assistant Professor with the Electrical Electronics Engineering Department, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey. His current research interests include RF & Microwave circuits and systems, and wireless power transfer systems.

Fuat Kilic

Fuat Kilic received the bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degree in electrical engineering from Kocaeli University in 2001, 2003 and 2016, respectively. He is currently assistant Professor with Balikesir University in department of mechatronics engineering. His research interests include electrical machines and their control, power electronics and renewable energy.

Serkan Sezen

Serkan Sezen was born in Kocaeli, Turkey, in 1981. He received the B.S. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Education from Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey, in 2003 and 2006, respectively. He started to Ph.D. degree at Department of Electrical Education, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey, in 2006. He is currently a Lecturer with the Department of Mechatronics, Edremit Vocational School, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkey. His research interests are renewable energy systems, power electronics and applications, control theory and its applications, electrical machines.