Investigation on Optimizing Aluminum Shield for Improved Performance in Inductively Coupled Wireless Power Transfer System

Inductively coupled wireless power transfer (ICWPT) in wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) demonstrates significant advantages in solidity and maintenance requirements. To enhance the magnetic coupling and limit flux leakage, ferrite cores and aluminum shields are employed for the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) coils in ICWPT systems intended for EVs. To optimize ICWPT, it is essential to prioritize parameters such as the shape and size of ferrite cores and aluminum shielding dimensions. Research indicates that double-D (DD) coils demonstrate superior misalignment tolerance, reduced flux leakage, and enhanced coupling compared to circular and rectangular coils. To minimize leakage flux, core loss and improve the efficiency of EV charging, aluminum shield dimensions in ICWPT systems must be optimized along with the ferrite core. The proposed research examines the impact of aluminum shield dimensions using finite element analysis (FEA). The process entails modelling the electromagnetic behavior of the aluminum shield across various dimensions in order to determine minimal core loss and leakage flux while preserving the optimal magnetic coupling. Additionally, the coupling coefficient (K), core loss (CL), and leakage flux (LF) for each dimension of the aluminum shield are analyzed using the ANSYS Maxwell 3D. The maximum coupling coefficient value reaches 0.25808, with a leakage flux of $8752.108~\mu $ Wb at the aluminum shield’s dimensions of 690 mm $\times 480$ mm $\times 7$ mm for both Tx and Rx sides. The analysis establishes that the optimal aluminum shield dimensions are 690 mm $\times 480$ mm $\times 2$ mm, achieving a 71.43% reduction in volume with minimal impact on leakage flux, coupling coefficient, and core loss.