Manufacturing & Engineering

Wireless Power Technology

Wires are the only medium used to charge a battery or powering an electrical system at all times. This practice often resulted in poor adaptability when evolving to broader expansion and intelligent automation. Typically, it requires frequent contact charging point maintenance as most electric contact points are exposed to the air. 

A majority of the consumer and industrial markets are making shifts towards complete electrification. The latest electric applications in consumer and infrastructure markets, including electrical automotive, battery-powered mobile appliances, have adapted wireless charging mechanisms. 
 

IHPC’s Wireless Charging Technology (WPT) uses the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) frequency band for more complex applications, better electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) compliance, and smaller form factor. Thus, this system is currently the best match for most battery-powered electric applications.

The research and development of WPT mainly focus on the optimisation of coupling coil, high-frequency converters (i.e., DCAC, ACDC, DCDC) and the system control algorithm.

Features

  • Application specific, optimised wireless power coupling coils
  • Compact modular/system level customisation
  • No spark hazard, solid state design
  • No manual intervention
  • Empowered with wireless control mechanism

The Science Behind

The origin of wireless power technology is electromagnetic resonance. To enable high magnitude power coupling within the near field region, magnetic resonance plays a major role. This physic phenomenon is most suited to transmit electric power across the air, because it allows penetration of magnetic energy through all sort of non-metallic medium, with negligible loss in the medium.

Optimised Power Coupling Coils

Optimised power coupling coils design modelling & simulation

WPT Design Assessment

Compact design assessment – System prototype performance, EMC and thermal compliance 

In IHPC, the team exerts major effort in the simulation and modelling to push to the limit of near field resonance and design optimisation.

Industry Applications

WPT is a general electric transmission method suitable from modular level up to infrastructure level and has been reported being deployed in many sectors.

  • Industrial automation – smart factory, rail-guided robots
  • Robotic applications – robot arms/joins, battery-powered robot bases
  • Consumer electronics – gadgets, home appliances
  • Transportation – EV, e-bikes, MRT
  • Satellite system – power transmission between compartments and solar panel
  • Defense system – charging of UAVs
  • Underwater application – enabling energy transmission between waterproof modules

 

For more info or collaboration opportunities, please write to enquiry@ihpc.a-star.edu.sg