Analysis of Intermediate Resonant Couplers for High Displacement Inductive Power Transfer

Inductive power transfer (IPT) is increasingly being investigated for vehicle charging applications due to the galvanic isolation present between the primary and secondary sides and the ease of parking due to its plug-free nature. However, in some applications such as SUVs with high ground clearance it is difficult to provide a cost-effective solution while maintaining low leakage fields. This paper investigates the use of a Circular or Bipolar intermediate resonating coils placed between the ground and the vehicle to increase the vertical displacement over which significant power can be transferred. In this work, circular pads (CP) were used for the ground and vehicle assemblies assumed in the SAEJ2954 standards. Results show that for certain vertical displacements it is possible to transfer power while keeping within the magnetic leakage fields using either of the intermediate pads.