Resonant power transfer systems having efficiency optimization based on receiver impedance
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling wireless power transfer systems. A wireless power transfer system includes a transmitter driven by a power source and a transmit controller, wherein the transmitter is configured to control delivery of wireless power, and a receiver inductively coupled to the transmitter, the receiver configured to receive the wireless power from the transmitter and deliver the received wireless power to a load. The receiver includes receiver electronics configured to determine a Thevenin equivalent impedance of the wireless power transfer system, determine a Thevenin equivalent source voltage of the wireless power transfer system, and control, based on the determined Thevenin equivalent impedance and the determined Thevenin equivalent source voltage, an ideal source voltage of the receiver to vary the amount of the wireless power transferred from the transmitter to the receiver.
1. A wireless power transfer system comprising:
a transmitter driven by a power source and a transmit controller, wherein the transmitter is configured to control delivery of wireless power; and
a receiver inductively coupled to the transmitter, the receiver configured to receive the wireless power from the transmitter and deliver the received wireless power to a load as direct current (DC) power via a converter circuit, the receiver comprising a control system configured to:
calculate a Thevenin equivalent impedance of the wireless power transfer system from the point of view of the receiver based on current measurements at an input of the converter circuit;
calculate a maximum allowed voltage using a cutback function that monitors the Thevenin equivalent impedance and calculates the maximum allowed voltage based on the Thevenin equivalent impedance; and
control, using a controller, the converter circuit to control an ideal source voltage at the input of the converter circuit based on the calculated Thevenin equivalent impedance to vary an amount of the wireless power transferred from the transmitter to the receiver, wherein an output of the controller is limited to the maximum allowed voltage.
2. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein to control the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage, the control system is configured to increase the ideal source voltage to increase a DC current associated with the DC power.
3. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the converter circuit is a MOSFET bridge, and wherein to control the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage, the control system is configured control the MOSFET bridge to drive the ideal source voltage.
4. The wireless power transfer system of claim 3 , wherein the control system is configured to control the MOSFET bridge by controlling a duty cycle and a phase of a pulse width modulated signal that drives the MOSFET bridge.
5. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage to be in phase with an ideal source current of the receiver at the input of the converter circuit.
6. The wireless power transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a proportional integrative (PI) controller.
7. A receiver for use in a wireless power transfer system, the receiver configured to receive wireless power from a transmitter driven by a power source and a transmit controller, and configured to deliver the received wireless power to a load as direct current (DC) power via a converter circuit, the receiver comprising:
a receiving coil; and
a control system coupled to the receiving coil, the control system configured to:
calculate a Thevenin equivalent impedance of the wireless power transfer system from the point of view of the receiver based on current measurements at an input of the converter circuit;
calculate a maximum allowed voltage using a cutback function that monitors the Thevenin equivalent impedance and calculates the maximum allowed voltage based on the Thevenin equivalent impedance; and
control, using a controller, the converter circuit to control an ideal source voltage at the input of the converter circuit based on the calculated Thevenin equivalent impedance to vary an amount of the wireless power transferred from the transmitter to the receiver, wherein an output of the controller is limited to the maximum allowed voltage.
8. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein to control the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage, the control system is configured to increase the ideal source voltage to increase a DC current associated with the DC power.
9. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein the converter circuit is a MOSFET bridge, and wherein to control the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage, the control system is configured control the MOSFET bridge to drive the ideal source voltage.
10. The receiver of claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to control the MOSFET bridge by controlling a duty cycle and a phase of a pulse width modulated signal that drives the MOSFET bridge.
11. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein control system is configured to control the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage to be in phase with an ideal source current of the receiver.
12. The receiver of claim 7 , wherein the controller is a proportional integrative (PI) controller.
13. A method for controlling a wireless power transfer system, the wireless power transfer system including a receiver inductively coupled to a transmitter, the receiver configured to receive wireless power from the transmitter and deliver the received wireless power to a load as direct current (DC) power via a converter circuit, the method comprising:
calculating, using a control system, a Thevenin equivalent impedance of the wireless power transfer system from the point of view of the receiver based on current measurements at an input of the converter circuit;
calculating a maximum allowed voltage using a cutback function that monitors the Thevenin equivalent impedance and calculates the maximum allowed voltage based on the Thevenin equivalent impedance; and
controlling, using a controller of the control system, the converter circuit to control an ideal source voltage at the input of the converter circuit based on the calculated Thevenin equivalent impedance to vary an amount of the wireless power transferred from the transmitter to the receiver, wherein an output of the controller is limited to the maximum allowed voltage.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the converter circuit further comprises increasing the ideal source voltage to increase a DC current associated with the DC power.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the converter circuit is a MOSFET bridge, and wherein controlling the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage comprises controlling the MOSFET bridge to drive the ideal source voltage.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein controlling the MOSFET bridge comprises controlling a duty cycle and a phase of a pulse width modulated signal that drives the MOSFET bridge.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the convert circuit further comprises controlling the converter circuit to control the ideal source voltage to be in phase with an ideal source current of the receiver at the input of the converter circuit.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the convert circuit further comprises controlling, using a proportional integrative (PI) controller of the control system, the converter circuit to control the ideal source at the input of the converter circuit, wherein an output of the PI controller is limited to the maximum allowed voltage.