Analysis of wireless power supplies for industrial automation systems

Abundant sensors used in non-stationary, maintenance-free industrial environments with high sensor densities are preferably powered by a wireless power system. For most industrial applications this is possible with a magnetic supply principle, based on unconventional transformers with large air-gaps. This paper presents an analytical description of the magnetic components of a wireless power supply system based on the magnetic coupling of multiple spatially separated coils. The power transfer through the large air-gap transformer is accurately predicted using a coupling model.