Inductive Power Transfer

At Fraunhofer IISB, we are at the forefront of researching and developing inductive power transfer (IPT) technologies. IPT enables fully contactless energy transmission – wear- and spark-free – providing the highest level of operational safety, especially in dusty, humid, or rotating applications where traditional connectors fail prematurely. Therefore, this technology offers added value in a wide range of applications, for example:

  • Custom-made auxiliary power supplies (e.g. from 48 V to 48 V or 24 V to 24 V) for applications with very high isolation requirements
  • Wireless plugs for demanding ambient conditions
  • Energy supply for moved or rotated electrical loads
  • Wireless charging for electric vehicles: up to 11 kW for stationary applications and up to 20 kW for dynamic in-road systems in cooperation with the E|Road Center department.

We develop and realize complete inductive power transfer systems ranging from the FEM simulation as well as power electronics analysis/simulation and mechanical integration to the realization of complete demonstrators.

StruFuFako – Lightweight Underbody with Integrated Wireless Charging

Research Project StruFuFako – Structural, function-integrated Vehicle Components based on Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastics

Integration of an inductive receiver coil in a lightweight component for a compact self-driving vehicle for next-generation urban mobility.

StruFuFako is a joint R&D initiative that develops a weight-optimized underbody module for battery-electric vehicles. The component combines fibre-reinforced thermoplastic structures with a 3.6 kW inductive charging coil and an intelligent thermal management system–all manufactured in a single process step. The fully integrated solution is expected to lower overall vehicle mass, cut part count and production effort, and enable 3.6 kW wireless power transfer at a system efficiency of 96 % for future small, light, autonomous passenger transportation vehicles for inner-city areas.

Project Targets at Fraunhofer IISB

  • Dimensioning of vehicle and ground coils, resonant circuits and power electronics
  • Optimization of coupling, efficiency, and EMC for varying air gaps and misalignments
  • Development of a mechanically and thermally robust coil carrier for direct embedding in the composite structure
  • Laboratory build-up, assembly and validation of the inductive charging system

Challenges

  • Maintain high magnetic coupling and EMC compliance despite variable air gaps, misalignment and road clearance
  • Embed coils and ferrites in the composite without compromising crash safety or recyclability
  • Control heat in a sealed, thin underbody module exposed to road debris, water, and temperature cycles
  • Achieve automotive cycle times and robust bonding between metals, composites and electronic parts in a single process step

Project Partners

Research project in cooperation with

  • Centrotherm Systemtechnik GmbH (Coordinator)
  • ElringKlinger AG
  • LIA GmbH
  • HK-Präzisionstechnik GmbH
  • Fraunhofer ICT

Inductive Charging for Electromobility

IPT system for electric vehicles enabling fully autonomous, hands-free charging and next-generation self-driving vehicle mobility

Our inductive charging system employs small air gaps between the transmitter unit and the vehicle coil, enabling scalability, very low material usage, high efficiency, and minimum stray fields.

 

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Not only the increase of electric driving range, but also the improvement of user comfort is a crucial point for the success of battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles. In view of ergonomic and practical aspects of the charging process, wireless charging is a consecutive step for the development of charging infrastructure. We developed an inductive charging system for battery electric vehicle in order to facilitate an autonomous charging process without any user interaction. This approach leads to a tremendous improvement of user comfort and facilitates the necessary technology for an ubiquitary charging concept.

Project Targets

  • Design of a position tolerant wireless charging system
  • Transmission power of 3,7 kW (scalable  up to 11 kW)
  • Charging without user intervention (“autonomous” electric driving)
  • Wireless communication between primary and secondary side

Challenges

  • Selection of a suitable coil geometry and arrangement
  • Optimization of the coupling coils to reduce the system losses
  • Safe and efficient operation of the charging system

Results

  • extremely compact vehicle side coils (diameter of a CD)
  • 94% system efficiency up to the battery
  • Integration of a low-rate and robust information transmission channel (max. 3,5 kW)

Project Partners

Research project in cooperation with the Chair of Electron Devices (LEB) and further chairs of the Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Inductive Ball-Bearing

IPT system to transfer electric power in small moving components – contactless and wear-free

Our contactless inductive power-and-data transfer system delivers up to 20 W to a rotating ball bearing, offering a scalable, wear-free, and environment-resistant alternative to cable-based solutions for fast-moving parts.

The ability to transfer power in small moving systems is required for a wide range of applications such as wind power systems with electronics integrated in the rotor blades or highly-automated Industry 4.0 production platforms. The goal of the project is to develop a technology for the contactless transfer of power and data in small moving components in harsh environments.

The IPT technology enables synchronous machines to receive their rotor‐excitation current completely contactlessly and brushlessly, allowing the use of wound‐field rotors instead of rare‐earth permanent magnets. By eliminating the rotor magnets, it reduces dependence on critical raw materials, lowers component costs and supply-chain risks. At the same time, wireless excitation provides precise, dynamic control of power factor and machine performance without wear‐prone brushes or slip rings.

Project Targets

  • Realization of an inductive energy transfer for fast moving components
  • Transmission power up to 20W
  • Wireless communication of information as well as higher data rates for the transmission of sensor & actuator information

Challenges

  • High integration level of the coupling coils
  • Realization of a rotating transformer with metal parts in the surrounding
  • High mechanical conditions

Results

  • Demonstration of the functionality of the rotating application (ball-bearing with shaft)
  • Practical robustness tests & simulations of electronic assemblies beyond the normative measuring range
  • Near field transmission at high frequencies including alternative capacitive transmission systems with differential directional coupler
  • High-quality digital modulation and thermoelectric optimization of the crossover

Project Partners

   

Inductive Plug

Inductive power transfer offers the capability to inductively (contactless) transmit power in moving components. The technology could be used as the basis for robust inductive plugs in food processing facilities or the chemical industry or as a simpler and safer way to provide electricity to agricultural machinery attachments that need robust plug solutions.

Project Targets

  • Realization of an induction plug for special environmental conditions
  • Transmission power up to 1000 W
  • Easy handling
  • High robustness
  • High efficiency

Challenges

  • Due to the requirement for high compactness only a small power loss can be dissipated (high efficiency necessary)
  • Integration into a small assembly space

Results

  • Demonstration of the functionality
  • System design (across all applications) for magnetics and power electronics with improvement of the performance and simulation methods
  • Practical robustness studies and simulations of electronic assemblies beyond the normative covered measuring range

Project Partners

Wireless Office

A battery and a receiving / transmitting unit for the inductive energy transfer were integrated into a roll container. The battery storage is charged at the socket (optionally inductive). The DC voltage network can be supplied wireless or by cable through the roll container.

 

 

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Project Targets

  • Next generation of desks without any visible connections - „Clean Desk“
  • Higher flexibility of the desk

Challenges

  • Inductive power transmission with medium power (>100W) in the area of protective low voltage leads to high currents
  • Providing a stabilized voltage for the desks DC voltage network

Results

  • Very compact power transmission system (150 mm x 150 mm x 40 mm)
  • Representable air gaps up to 20 mm
  • Transferable power <150 W

Project Partner

BACHMANN GmbH

HF-Generator for Inductive Heating

The performance and toughness of a CoolMOS™ transistor in high frequency clocked bridges should be shown by the example of a HF-generator for inductive heating.

Project Targets

Development of a HF generator with an extremely high efficiency for inductive heating.

Challenges

  •     Output power ~ 1 kW
  •     Working frequency 100 - 500 kHz
  •     SMD power transistors
  •     Input voltage 230 Vac
  •     Absolute operational safety under all load conditions

Results

For the generation of an HF-power of 1 kW in the frequency range up to 500 kHz, the generator was realized as a resonant half-bride converter. Each of the both half-bridge switches consist of two parallel connected CoolMOS transistors (type SPB20N60C2 - 190 mOhm, 600 V). Thereby the generator achieves an efficiency of more than 97%. Due to the low power loss, the power transistors could be mounted in SMD technology and heated by the circuit board. A special control method ensures resonant commutation under all conditions (even transits).

Project Partners

Infineon AG

Publications

Authors Title Talk Paper
Ditze, S.; Heckel, T.; März, M.

Influence of the junction capacitance of the secondary rectifier diodes on output characteristics in multi-resonant converters,

2016 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), Long Beach, CA, USA 2016

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Joffe, C.; Roßkopf, A.; Ehrlich, S.; Dobmeier, C.; März, M.

Design and optimization of a multi-coil system for inductive charging with small air gap,

2016 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), Long Beach, CA, USA 2016

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Sanftl, B.; Joffe, C.; Trautmann, M.; Weigel, R.; Koelpin, A.

Reliabe data link for power transfer control in an inductive charging system for electric vehicles,

2016 IEEE MTT-S International Conference on Microwaves for Intelligent Mobility (ICMIM)

  pdf
Roßkopf, A.; Bär, E.; C. Joffe; Bonse, C.

Calculation of Power Losses in Litz Wire Systems by Coupling FEM and PEEC Method,

IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics

  pdf
Roßkopf, A.; Schuster, S.; Endruschat, A.; Bär, E.

Influence of varying bundle structures on power electronic systems simulated by a coupled approach of FEM and PEEC,

IEEE Conference on Electromagnetic Field Computation (CEFC)

  pdf
Joffe, C.

Modular Charging Solutions,

ECPE Workshop "Power Electronics for e-Mobility", 22 - 23 June 2016

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Ditze, S.

Steady-State Analysis of the Bidirectional CLLLC Resonant Converter in Time Domain,

INTELEC, Vancouver 2014

  pdf
Joffe, C.; Ditze, S. Rosskopf, A.

A Novel Positioning Tolerant Inductive Power Transfer System,

ETEV, Nürnberg, 2013

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Authors Title Talk Paper
Ditze, S.; Endruschat, A.; Schriefer, T.; Rosskopf, A.; Heckel, T.

Inductive Power Transfer System with a Rotary Transformer for Contactless Energy Transfer on Rotating Applications,

2016 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), Montreal, Quebec, Kanada 2016

  pdf
Gerstner, H.

Inductive Energy and Data Transmission in Novel Industrial Applications,

Embedded Platforms Conference Munich, 10. November 2016

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Authors Title Talk Paper
Trautmann, M.; Joffe, C.; Pflaum, F.; Sanftl, B.; Weigel, R.; Heckel, T.; Koelpin, A.

Implementation of simultaneous energy and data transfer in a contactless connector,

2016 IEEE Topical Conference on Wireless Sensors and Sensor Networks (WiSNet)

  pdf
Ehrlich, S.

Design and Optimization of a Highly Integrated Inductive Power Transfer System for Pluggable Applications,

Wireless Congress: Systems & Applications Munich, 10. November 2016

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