An inductive-power-transfer converter with high efficiency throughout battery-charging process

Abstract

An inductive power transfer (IPT) converter usually has an optimum efficiency only at a matched load. Because of wide load range variation during battery charging, it is challenging for an IPT converter to achieve the required output and maintain high efficiency throughout the charging process. In this paper, a series-series compensated IPT converter with an active rectifier is analyzed and implemented for battery charging. Appropriate operations are employed for constant-current charging and constant-voltage (CV) charging. A novel operation approach is proposed to achieve constant output voltage and to ensure load impedance matching during CV charging without the help of an extra DC-DC converter, which incurs loss. Both a frequency modulated primary inverter and a phase-angle modulated secondary active rectifier can achieve soft switching. High efficiency can be maintained during the whole battery-charging profile.