Flemming Nyboe, Danish Technological Institute

Lars Lading, Sense A/S

WIRELESS TRANSFER OF
ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Topics

Wireless in nature
The vision (get rid of all the wired connections)
Tesla + +: ideas, initiatives and failures the history
Basic relations and limitations
Reality : Many applications are emerging, several
commercial companies
Examples
Charging of small electronic devices
Charging of large electronic devices

A demonstration and the work at TI

Safety and standards
Outlook

Wireless in Nature
Wireless transfer of energy

is by far the dominating way

of energy transfer
Also energy to the world is dominated by
wireless solar energy:

Solar energy: about 174 petawatts (30% reradiated)

Geothermal: 44.2 terawatts
Tidal energy: 3 terawatt
Global consumption: 15 terawatt
Blackbody radiation accounts for a considerable
amount of energy tranfer

Wireless energy vs. Wireless

information
Wireless information: Energy efficiency is

very (extremely) low - down to 10-20

Wireless energy transfer: Must be >> 0.1 to
be viable
Broadcasting methods are not feasible

Why Wireless?
Wires are inconvenient and expensive
Connectors have a relatively high likelihood

of faults
Mobile devices
Environmental conditions
Access
Pollution

The vision
Small autonomous devices receive wireless
energy already many commercial products
but still limited uses
Large devises (automobiles) may be
Energy distribution - unlikely

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)

A global system for "the transmission of
electrical energy without wires proposed 1904

Wardenclyffe Tower

Tesla did discover essential concepts, but

may also have invoked unreal physics (?)

Classification
Propagating E-M waves

Near field
Resonant coupling (Q = 1/k)
Dont forget conduction

Propagating E-M waves

Electric and magnetic fields are

coupled: If one is eliminated (e.g.

electric field by a conductor) the
propagation ceases
Diffraction
Transmitter and receiver must be

much larger than the wavelength

Far field divergence / d source
Focusing: d source dt arg et

Propagation in empty space

Conducting media is a problem

(metal, water)

Near Field Coupling

Range < /4
E and M are not coupled e.g. coupling through

conducting media (human body) is feasible

Some radiation will also be present (often negligible)
The basis for transformers (inductive) and capacitors
(electric/capacitive), used e.g. inductive cookers
Coupling coefficient k < 1; wireless coupling may be
defined by cases where k < 0.2
Is a high coupling efficiency compatible with a low k

Resonant Coupling
A low coupling coefficient does not necessarily

imply a low coupling efficiency!

Resonant coupling may provide for efficient
transfer of energy between weakly coupled
systems: Q 1/k
Ohmic loses sets a limit; undesired couplings
may also pose a problem; radiation losses at
higher frequencies

Resonant coupling is well known in mechanical

systems

Dries van Wageningen and Eberhard Waffenschmidt, Philips Research

Overall power budget

Generally positive for small autonomous
devices according to Prof. Ron Hui,
Director, Center for Power Electronics
City University of Hong Kong
21 August 2009 can be questioned!

History
1893 Tesla demonstrates the wireless illumination of phosphorescent lamps
1917: Tesla's Wardenclyffe tower is demolished
1964: Brown demonstrates a model helicopter that received all the power
needed for flight from a microwave beam
1971: Prof. Don Otto develops a small trolley powered by induction at The
University of Auckland, in New Zealand
1973: World first passive RFID system demonstrated at Los-Alamos National
Lab.[
2007: Prof. Marin Soljai et al, at MIT, wirelessly power a 60W light bulb with
40% efficiency at a 2 metres distance with two 60 cm-diameter coils
2008: Bombardier offers new wireless transmission product PRIMOVE, a power
system for use on trams and light-rail vehicle
2009: Sony shows a wireless electrodynamic-induction powered TV set, 60 W
over 50 cm
2009: Wireless Power Consortium formed (www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com)
2010: Multiple coil system for implants demonstrated with 82% efficiency

APPLICATIONS

Charging mobile phones

Convenient Power solution

Dells solution

Charging
cars

Nissan concept

Koreas
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and
Technology
Three busses runs in an amusement park

400 m of charging lane

70% efficiency
20% of the
roadway needs
power strips

Conclusion for this part

The basic physics is well established

Technology well in place for small devices

(< 5 W)
Automobile charging?
Adaptive systems?