A 1-kW wireless power transfer system for electric vehicle charging with hexagonal flat spiral coil

Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology is getting more attention in these days as a clean, safe, and easy alternative to charging batteries in several power levels. Different coil types and system structures have been proposed in the literature. Hexagonal coils, which have a common usage for low power applications, have not been well studied for high and mid power applications such as in electric vehicle (EV) battery charging. In order to fill this knowledge gap, the self and mutual inductance equations of a hexagonal coil are obtained, and these equations have been used to design a 1 kW WPT system with hexagonal coils for a mid-power stage EV charging. The theoretical and simulation results have been validated with an implementation in the laboratory and a DC-to-DC power efficiency of 85% is achieved across a 10 cm air gap between the perfect aligned coils. The misalignment performance of the system was observed for different positioning of the secondary coil, and the output power variation is given. In addition, the effect of shielding on magnetic field exposition of a driver sitting in an EV was obtained, and these simulation results were compared in order to check the compliance with international health standards.

Automated summary

Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology is gaining attention as a cleaner, safer alternative for charging batteries, with hexagonal coils showing potential for mid-power applications like electric vehicle charging. A 1 kW WPT system with hexagonal coils was designed and validated with theoretical, simulation, and laboratory testing, achieving 85% DC-to-DC power efficiency across a 10 cm air gap. The study also analyzed misalignment performance, power output variation, and the effects of shielding on magnetic field exposure in EVs to ensure compliance with international health standards.