Improved Cross-Helix Array with Efficient 360-Degree Steerable WPT for Solar Power Satellite

In this paper, single and cross helix array structures, for solar power satellite WPT applications, have been simulated, with full wave simulations up to 200x100 unit cell (H x W = 6m x 6m) array size. Near field simulations computed the WPT power densities at distances up to 500 m from the array. The results presented, are the first validation that a large cross helix structure can provide enhanced, 360 degree steerable, WPT beamforming capabilities compared to a similarly sized single helix. Previous work has only validated single helix structures. As an example, a 100x100 single helix array with 5W per element was shown to produce a WPT power density of 93 W/m
²
at 500m, whereas a 200x100 cross helix structure, with double the number of elements produced a power density of 315W/m
²
, which is an almost fourfold increase compared to the single helix. This clearly shows the increased aperture to be providing additional beamforming as well as the two times power increase from doubling the number of elements.