Optimizing the Power Output for a Capacitive Wireless Power Transfer System with NNN receivers (original) (raw)

Remote low-power supply provision for HVDC devices

The applications of ultrasound, in the context of power transmission, range widely from cleaning industrial tanks to various machining processes e.g. drilling and cutting, having even been employed for low temperature welding of thermoplastics and metals. High intensity ultrasonic waves have demonstrated the ability to produce permanent changes in certain materials lying in the irradiated region. This hints at an untapped potential for Contactless Energy Transfer (CET) over galvanic isolation barriers. The use of high frequency sound waves affords numerous practical advantages apart from the obvious, absence of audible noise. Transmitters of comparatively smaller dimensions can radiate well-bounded beams which can be directed precisely over a desired region, and due to their ‘quasi-optical’ nature, these waves can be focused with appropriate lenses and concave reflectors. This concentration of high levels of acoustic pressure/particle velocity in a small spatial region allows for high energy and power densities. (Kuttruff, 1991, p. 395) The study of acoustic isolation in electrical systems is still in its stage of infancy, and experiments conducted for different applications have yielded a large variation in efficiencies and power levels. Where biomedical applications typically transmitted microwatt power levels through optical fibers at 1% efficiency, through-wall systems achieved 1kW transfer at 84% efficiency. (Roes et al, 2013) Studies aimed at inspecting wave patterns and loss mechanisms, using non-optimised transducers and circuits, transferred 37µW at 53% efficiency. (Roes et al, 2011) This project will investigate whether Acoustic Energy Transfer (AET) can deliver the level of power needed to drive the gate terminal of an IGBT, by examining the different mechanisms involved in the power transfer process. By providing insights into the underlying phenomenon, this report aspires to pave the way for further research into enhancing AET efficiency, thereby making it a viable means of CET.