Design and validation of a contactless charging system for electric bicycles

Contactless energy transfer systems absorb electricity from a power source and provide it to a load without the use of electrical cables. Thanks to their numerous benefits, in recent years the interest on this type of systems has greatly increased, especially for electric vehicle charging applications. In this paper we will address the design of a contactless charging system for electric bicycles. In particular, based on a market survey, the specifications for the desired contactless charging system are derived and the dimensioning of the power converters is carried out. Two different coil geometries are taken into consideration in order to compare them in terms of weight, encumbrance and efficiency. The designed energy transfer system is then simulated by means of a finite integration technique software, in order to verify the correctness and robustness of the proposed charging system.