Zonal Multisegment WPT for High-Power Overhead Hoist Systems Based on Dual-Coupling H-Pickup

Automated material handling systems (AMHSs) in semiconductor manufacturing face challenges related to complex paths and the requirement for stable and efficient power supply, where conventional battery-powered and slide-wire power supply methods prove inadequate in ultraclean facilities. This study presents a multisegment wireless power transfer (MSWPT) system designed to provide stable and continuous power to multiple overhead hoist transport (OHT) systems within an AMHS. The system employs an inductor-capacitor–capacitor-series (LCC-S) compensation topology, characterized by constant primary-side track currents and stable load output voltages, with the flexibility to expand to multiple receivers. The segmented power supply strategy addresses mutual inductance attenuation during OHT track switching and steering, while effective phase-locking methods synchronize control between multiple transmitter (Tx) units, ensuring stable OHT operation across multiple tracks. The study proposes a dual-coupled H-pickup with enhanced core utilization, achieving a 25% improvement in the coupling coefficient compared to conventional couplers. As a flexible and cost-effective WPT solution, the MSWPT system equipped with two 5-m tracks and dual OHT receivers was evaluated. In various stability tests, the system achieved 86% efficiency at 2 kW power, with voltage fluctuations maintained below 3%.