High Power Inductive Coupler Design From a Downscaled Model

Wireless power transfer systems are considered by many experts, possible solutions for smart charging of the batteries of future non-pollutant heavy duty electric vehicles, such as electric buses, electric trucks etc. The development of wireless power transfer system prototypes for heavy duty electric vehicles that are inherently characterized by high rated powers (hundreds of kW) is very expensive and their optimizations would entail huge costs. This paper analyzes the possibility of dimensioning a high-power inductive coupler for heavy electric vehicles based on a ~kW downscaled model so that a preliminary study can be carried out at acceptable price levels. The following main parameters were considered for the dimensional scaling: the distance between transmitter and receiver coils, the magnetic coupling factor, the operation frequency, the coupler area and the transmitted power. Keeping the same coupling factor for the real and downscaled models is a basic condition that is followed in this study for a transmitted power density at a given power ratio.