Comparison of Coil Topologies For Inductive Power Transfer Under The Influence of Ferrite and Aluminum
Comparison of Coil Topologies For Inductive Power Transfer Under The Influence of Ferrite and Aluminum
Comparison of Coil Topologies For Inductive Power Transfer Under The Influence of Ferrite and Aluminum
Abstract - In recent years, there has been growing systems are widely used in a broad range of applications.
interest in inductive power transfer (IPT) systems for Currently, passenger vehicles can be charged inductively
electric vehicles (EVs). Wireless power transfer in a power range between 3.3 kW and 22 kW. For
systems consist of complex coil systems made up of instance, a racing car from Drayson Racing is charged
current-carrying litz wires varying greatly in shape wirelessly at 20 kW [2]. Beyond that buses [3, 4] also are
and in material for confining and guiding magnetic
equipped with inductive power transfer systems.
flux. A large number of geometric degrees of freedom
Stationary charging is further developed to semi-dynamic
charging for slow-moving vehicles [5] and to fully
and variables must be defined and optimized in
dynamic charging, as for on-line electric vehicles [6, 7].
designing a coil system. Against this background, this
paper points out first the fundamental role of Wireless power transfer systems consist of two
materials for shielding and flux guidance and their independent electrical systems with mutual coupling. The
influence on the main quantities of an IPT system. current in the primary coil generates an oscillating
Furthermore, variations in size of the materials show magnetic field, which flows through the coil of the
their significance for wireless power transfer systems. receiving device. Thus, an electrical voltage is induced in
Based on these findings, various magnetic couplers are the secondary coil. The voltage then is converted and used
analyzed and evaluated. The specific strengths and
to power the device, Fig. l.
weaknesses of the geometries are highlighted in terms The coil system itself consists of current-carrying litz
of previously defined evaluation criteria, and the wires and ferrite and aluminum for flux guidance and
optimal field of application of the couplers is shielding. Currently, various coupler topologies are used
identified. It is shown, how ferrite and aluminum for charging EVs, such as circular, planar coils or
influence the characteristics of the various coupler polarized single-sided flux couplers, as double-D-pads
topologies. (DD), double-D-quadrature-pads (DDQ) and coplanar,
partially overlapping coils [8-12]. An optimum must be
Keywords-Inductive power transfer (IPT); Electric found in the design of ferrite and aluminum where, on the
Vehicle (EV); Coil design; Ferrite; Aluminum one hand, weight and costs are minimized and, on the other
hand, magnetic stray fields are reduced and sufficient
I. INTRODUCTION efficiency is ensured at the same time.
Inductive power transfer (lPT) systems developed The general influence of ferrite so far has been
rapidly in the last years. Inductive charging was first investigated only in part in existing research. For instance,
applied in many industries, for instance in factory various geometries, such as plates, pot-cores, bars or
automation systems in which relatively low powers of a additional plates [13-16] or variations in size of materials
few kilowatts are transferred across a small air gap [1].
t:
o
As inductive power transfer offers numerous
advantages such as convenience, durability, and charging .
8-
E
safety, inductive they were soon used to charge electric 8
vehicles (EVs). Such applications, however, make higher
demands as much higher power has to be transferred
across a considerably larger air gap. Nowadays, IPT Fig .l. Inductive power transfer system .
studied. However, the fundamental role of materials for Coil diameter 550mm
shielding and flux guidance and their influence on the
main parameters of an IPT system have not yet been Cross section of coil 50mm'
This chapter contains an analysis showing to what density at vehicle 10. 74 12. 04 0. 09 1. 74
body [uTI
extent the introduction of ferrite and aluminum as flux
guidance and shielding devices in an inductive energy .-
,-
two coils and the magnetic fields. The coil model chosen .-
magnetic field with the phase angle at which the field 0.00
i gfaCl<x -..I\lagne(icOu.densi(YluTI
body.
It can be seen that the ferrite increases self-inductance
and mutual inductance. Moreover, the magnetic flux
density at the vehicle body is increased slightly. This is
due to the ferrite collecting the flux and conducting it in a
specific way, thus giving rise to better coupling. The
introduction of aluminum decreases both self-inductance
and mutual inductances significantly, hence making the
coupling factor very low. The pronounced shielding effect
Fig . 2. Inductances and magnetic field with variation of pad diameter .
of aluminum strongly shields the magnetic field. In a
combination of ferrite and aluminum, the characteristics effects. As shielding and flux guidance become more
found above are also combined. In this way, inductances pronounced, the field becomes smaller in the z-direction
increase compared to the air coil, and the magnetic field is and is expanded in a concentrated fashion in the x-y
shielded much more strongly than in the case of the direction. When the pad diameter reaches the size of the
introduction of ferrite only. Generally, the shielding effect vehicle underbody, the field lines couple back around the
can be explained by the magnetic alternating field of the vehicle underbody.
coils inducing eddy currents in the shield. These eddy
III. STUDIES OF VAR IOUS COIL TOPOLOGIES
currents, in tum, generate an opposing magnetic field,
which thus attenuates the external magnetic field. As mentioned in the introduction, this paper analyzes
and evaluates various coil topologies with ferrite and
In summary, it can be said that ferrite and aluminum in
aluminum. Publication [19] is used as a basis, in which air
a coil system are indispensable both to obtaining a good
cored coils are analyzed and their optimum field of
coupling factor and also to meeting the guidelines of the
applications are pointed out. In analogy with the approach
International Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation
in [19] coil geometries are first introduced briefly.
Protection (ICNIRP) [21, 22].
Subsequently, Chapter 3B explains the boundary
B. Variation of Ferrite and Aluminum conditions of simulations and of topologies as well as the
After showing the need for ferrite and aluminum in a criteria for evaluation of the geometries. Chapter 3C
coil system it is now the influence of the magnitude of finally contains an evaluation of the results of simulations;
shielding and flux guidance on the quantities studied correlation analyses and cluster analyses are used for this
before which will be analyzed. Again, the boundary purpose. In Chapter 4, the findings are then compared with
conditions established in the subchapter above (see the findings obtained with air cored coils.
Table I) will apply. The coil pad consisting of ferrite and A. Description of Coil Topologies
aluminum is assumed to be enlarged step by step, with the
As can be seen from Fig. 3 below, 16 different coil
diameter of the aluminum always being 50 mm larger than
geometries were studied, which also were subject of
that of the ferrite. The vehicle underbody is always kept
investigation in [19]. Geometries are made up, on the one
constant.
hand, of simple geometric elements, such as the circular
As can be seen from Fig. 2, the inductances move planar coil [11]. On the other hand, polarized single-sided
towards a final value as the pad diameter increases. This flux couplers, such as double-D pads (DD), double-D
also applies to the coupling factor, which converges from quadrature pads (DDQ), and coplanar, partly overlapping
a pad diameter of 1100 mm onwards. Starting from a pad coils, as in [8, 9, 11, 12] are analyzed. On the basis of these
size of 1100 mm, the coupling changes less than 5 % in geometries studied in the literature, other topologies were
each step of enlargement. The magnetic field rises investigated as well, such as the triangular geometry made
quadratically as the pad becomes larger. This shows that up of two triangles in mirror symmetry. The geometries
pad size has a major influence on the magnetic field. This with a compensation winding have an outer winding with
effect is demonstrated in the diagram in Fig. 2 below. an opposed direction of current to the inner windings. This
is studied both for the primary and for the secondary sides
The pad diameter exerts a major influence on the
as well as for both sides.
magnetic field especially with a view to the boundary
Circular dx dy 100 mm, and dy dy 150 mm. The gradient
= = = =
..... -_ .. -e
- .....
..... :,. -: -:. ::. . 200ml1
factor at a nominal air gap and zero misalignment, and the -
Clusler 4
(Comp.::nsation Windings)
Fig . 7. Area enclosed by the magnetic fluxdensity ofthe primary coil . Fig . 8. Change in evaluation criteria as a result of adding ferrite and
aluminum .
ferrite. Ferrite concentrates the magnetic flux in the center
of the coil, but the coils show a zero passage of the field
direction precisely at this point. Consequently, there is a
reduction in the absolute coupling factor in this case.
All things considered, it can be said that the order of
evaluation of geometries has not changed as a result of the
introduction of aluminum and ferrite. The introduction of
ferrite and aluminum thus reinforces all properties studied
here of the coil geometries. When looking at the scoring,
it is seen that these materials result only in a wider spread
of the findings, while evaluation on the whole does not
change. Fig . 9. Planes for calculation ofthe discretization error . [18]
V. VERIFICA TION AND VALIDATION selected for this purpose as, on the one hand, it produced
excellent results in the studies covered in this paper. On
A. Verification
the other hand, this model is relatively simple to build. The
Three different quality criteria were defined for dimensions of the prototype and the points of
estimating the quality of the findings of numerical measurement with variation in air gap and horizontal
simulations. These quantify the numerical error, on the one misalignment can be found in Table V.
hand, with respect to systems quantities, such as
inductances, and field quantities, such as magnetic flux As is evident from Table VI, both the average
density. On the other hand, the numerical error can be differences between the experimental and the numerical
described with respect to its behavior in space (from inside results and the maximum deviations are small as they are
the coil up to the environment outside the vehicle). always well below 10 %. Moreover, the standard deviation
for all three measured quantities is small. For this reason,
To obtain high quality in the electromagnetic a validated simulation model may be assumed.
quantities, the percentage error in overall energy and the
percentage error in energy relative to the previous pass of
the adaptive meshing was calculated. All simulations TABLEVl. DIMENSIONS OF EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPE
Nevertheless, convergence, is treated mainly with the primary: 850 mm x 850mm x 6mm
focus on the interior of the coil system, this being the Ferrite
secondary: 570 mm x 570mm x 4mm
location of the highest energy of the system. A third
primary: 940 mm x 940mm x 5mm
criterion of evaluation is defined to estimate further the Aluminum
secondary: 600 mm x 600mm x 5mm
quality of the mesh in the external region. Thus, the error
of the magnetic field can be estimated. Aluminum vehicle o 1000 mm x I mm
As all simulation models have at least one plane of Variation of air gap 120mm; 135mm; 150mm
symmetry, the deviation of the magnetic field between
Variation of lateral
symmetrical planes can be calculated. For this purpose, misalignment in x- and
Omm; 25mm; 50mm; 75mm;
100mm
eight different planes were defined for each simulation at y -direction
which the magnetic field was compared, as it can be seen
in Fig. 9 on the right hand side. In a circular symmetrical TABLEVI. RESULTS OF V ALIDAnON