IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC), September 3-5, 2008, Harbin, China
Simulation and Experimental Analysis on
Wireless Energy Transfer Based on Magnetic
Resonances
Chunbo Zhu, Kai Liu*, Chunlai Yu, Rui Ma, Hexiao Cheng
School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, 150001
*Corresponding Author, Email: liukai.hit@gmail.com
Abstract—Wireless energy transfer based on coupled
magnetic resonances is a new technology which energy can
be transferred via coupled magnetic resonances in the non-
radiative near-field. A simple energy transfer system
structure was proposed in this paper. Based on this
structure, the back electromotive force (back-EMF) in the
receiving coil related with different transfer distance and
with driving frequency was simulated and analyzed.
Experimental results shows that the power can be
transmitted is up to 50W, the transfer efficiency is more
than 60%, the distance of energy transfer is longer than 1
meter. The energy transferring is able to go through various
non-metallic objects. The prospective applying fields are
wide, such as EV charging, industrial robot, aerospace,
wireless sensor networks, and RFID technology.
Keywords—Energy transfer; Wireless; Magnetic resonance
I. INTRODUCTION
For the electric vehicles (EVs) which using electric
energy as the energy source, the power supplementary
equipment (charger) is one of indispensable subsystems;
its function is converting the energy of power grid into
stored driving power of the EVs. Most of the energy
supply of EVs is realized by the electrical wire. American
inventors use the microwave beams and laser beams to
realize the remote energy supply using the directional
antenna. However, when we use this method to transfer
energy, any obstruction in the transfer path is not allowed.
It is dangerous for human bodies or other organisms
which in the energy transfer path [3, 4].
The basic principle of this technology is that two
separate coils with same resonance frequency are possible
to form a resonant system based on high frequency
magnetic coupling and exchange energy in a high
efficiency, while the coupling effect is weak between
those objects with different resonance frequency. The
medium of energy transfer is an alternating magnetic field.
This technology can be used to provide energy for
electricity equipments wirelessly in a certain distance.
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in American
also did some research on principle simulation and
experimental verification about this technology [1, 2]. This
technology can be used to provide energy wirelessly for
EVs charging, it will be a convenient and rapid method in
the future, it can realize the economical running way of
the battery using low depth charge and low depth
978-1-4244-1849-7/08/$25.00○
C 2008 IEEE
discharge to prolong the life of the battery. If we can make
further improvement on the transfer power and efficiency,
this technology will have a wider application prospect,
such as industrial robot, aerospace, wireless sensor
networks, and RFID technology.
II. THE POSSIBILITY OF ENERGY TRANSFER VIA
COUPLED MAGNETIC RESONANCES
Resonance phenomenon is widely existed in nature.
Different kind of resonance contains different kind of
energy. The sound of tuning fork is produced by resonance
and the earthquake is also produced by resonance, while
the energy of earthquake is much higher than the sound of
tuning fork.
Resonance is a trend that one physical system in its
natural frequency tends to absorb more energy from the
environment. In other words, it is a phenomenon that one
object vibrates which cause the other one with the same
frequency vibrates. Resonances can transfer energy. There
is a simple example: when two tuning forks A and B with
the same frequency are placed not far apart, hit fork A to
make it phonating, when we hold fork A to stop its
phonation, we find that fork B without hitting is phonating.
This is the resonance phenomenon in acoustics. The
energy which makes fork B phonating is come from the
sound wave generated by fork A, the energy-transfer medium
is sound field. It can be said that the essence of vibration
propagation is the transfer of energy. Similarly to sound
field, it is also possible for electromagnetic field.
Electromagnetic resonance exists widely in
electromagnetic system. The electromagnetic field itself is
an energy field which can provide energy to used electric
apparatus. Considering its danger to people and other
organisms in electric field, the magnetic field is safe and
more suitable to be used as the energy-transfer medium in
magnetic resonances energy transfer.
The radiating electromagnetic wave itself contains
energy, no matter whether there is a receiver or not, the
energy of electromagnetic wave is continuously consumed.
If we can make a non-radiative magnetic field with a
certain resonance frequency, when the resonator, such as
the LC oscillating circuit, with the same resonance
frequency in it, the electromagnetic resonance is
generating, energy in the inductance coil continues
gathering, the voltage is increasing, the receiving energy
 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC), September 3-5, 2008, Harbin, China
can be used by the load after being converted by follow-up
circuits.
Generally speaking, electromagnetic systems with same
resonance frequency are weak couplings apart in a certain
distance. Two systems with same inherent resonance
frequency will generate strong magnetic resonance and
form a magnetic resonances system. If there are more than
two resonators in effective range, they can also join the
resonances system. One resonator can be connected with
continuously power supply to serve as the energy source
and others consume the energy, so the energy transfer
system realized. In other words, we can transfer energy
from one place to another via invisible magnetic field
instead of the visible electrical wires.
III. STRUCTURE OF ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM VIA
COUPLED MAGNETIC RESONANCE
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of energy transfer system via coupled
magnetic resonance
As shown in figure 1, a simple structure of energy
transfer system via coupled magnetic resonance is
proposed. The energy supply of source is provided by
power convert module, inductor Ls and capacitor C s
constitute a resonance source circuit to generate an
alternative non-radiative magnetic field. The resonance
frequency of LC circuit is f s . The control signal for
power switch tube T is generated by switch drive circuit,
and its frequency is f k . In theory, when f t is close or
equal to f s , the oscillation of source resonance circuit is
strongest, the value of resonance current is highest, and
the magnetic field intensity is also strongest. Inductor Lt
and capacitor C t constitute the receiving resonance
circuit to produce resonance with the magnetic field which
generated by source resonance circuit to receive energy.
The frequency of receiving resonance circuit is f t , the
parameters of Lt and C t needn’t be in full accord with the
source resonance circuit. What the receiving resonance
circuit must need is to ensure f s = f t , that is the necessary
condition for energy transfer.
In figure 1, C s and C t are capacitors in resonance
circuit. If there are more than 2 capacitors, the equivalent
capacitance should be calculated according to the specific
circuit and the relationship between the capacitors (series
or parallel). Ls and Lt are the values of coil inductance in
resonance circuits. For different shape and structure of
coils, the formula to calculate the coil inductance is also
different. The circular loop coil is used in this resonance
system proposed in this paper, and the coil inductance can
be calculated in formula (1) [5]:
8R (1)
L = N 2 Rμ 0 [ln( ) − 1.75]
a
Where, N —coil turn;
μ 0 = 4π ×10 −7 —permeability of vacuum， (H/m);
R —radius of coil (m);
a —radius of conductor section (m).
If the inductor L and capacitor C in resonance circuit
is determined, the circuit resonance frequency f could
be calculated from formula (2):
1 (2)
f =
2π LC
The frequency f k of driving signal for power switch
tube T can be called driving frequency. It can be
determined according to f s . The driving signal can be
generated by signal generation circuit or device. The
closer f k to f s , the stronger is the magnetic field. The
stronger is the magnetic fields, the longer is the energy
transfer distance and also higher is the transfer efficiency.
Through the on–off control of power switch tube by
driving signal, resonance current is emerging in the source
resonance coil. Then this resonance current generates the
alternating non-radiative magnetic field.
The working frequency of energy receiver f t is also
determined by f s . When the receiving resonance coil
enters into the alternating magnetic field produced by the
energy transmitting source, it begins to oscillate because it
has the same resonance frequency with the alternating
magnetic field. As have been said before, energy in the
inductance coil continues gathering, the voltage is
increasing, and the receiving energy can be used by the
load after being converted by follow-up high-frequency
rectifier circuit.
IV. FINITE ELEMENT SIMULATION ANALYSIS
Figure 2. Model of the finite simulation analysis
As shown in figure 2, a model of finite element
simulation for magnetic resonances energy transfer system
is established. An ideal AC voltage source is used in
simulation as the power supply of energy source, its can
 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC), September 3-5, 2008, Harbin, China

be expressed by formula V = V0 sin(ωt + φ ) . The voltage shows that when the back-EMF reaches the maximum, the
amplitude V0 and frequency ω can be adjusted according driving frequency fk is not completely consistent with the
inherent resonance frequency of the LC resonant circuit,
to different simulation conditions. The frequency ω there existed a certain deviation. For example, we can see
equivalent to the driving frequency f k . The supply power the inherent resonance frequency of LC resonance circuit is
can be loaded to source resonance circuit which 1150 kHz, while the back-EMF of receiving coil reaches
the maximum when the driving frequency is 1450 kHz.
constituted by the inductor Ls and capacitor C s . The
The reason for this phenomenon needs to be studied in
simulation model of inductance coil is established by the further research.
experiment parameters. By using the circuit function of
finite element analysis software, the capacitor and V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
inductance coil are connected to form the LC resonance According to the structure proposed before, the
circuits. The simulation of energy transferred according to experimental device has been made and the
different distance between Ls and Lt can be done. experimentally study of energy transfer shows a broad
application prospect for this technology in the future.
In this paper, the back electromotive force (back-EMF)
in the receiving coil related with different transfer distance
and with driving frequency is simulated and analyzed.
Curves in figure 3 show the impact on the back-EMF
caused by different transfer distance. It is obvious that the
longer is the distance between the two coils, the lower the
back-EMF of the receiving coil is.
20
f=310kHz
f=630kHz
Back-EMF of Receive Coil (V)

15

10

Figure 5. The schematic diagram of Energy transfer experiment.

0 The energy transfer experimental device is showed by

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
figure 5. It is a small diameter resonator, the parameters of
Distance between Source and Receive Coil (cm)
source and receiving resonance coils are same. The
Figure 3. Relationship between the transfer distance and back-EMF of diameter of inductance coil is 160mm, the diameter of
the receiving coil conductor section is 2.1mm and the coil turn is 4. The
90 parameter of capacitor connected with the inductance coil
fs=ft=1150kHz(V)
80 fs=ft=1100kHz(V) is 6.6nF with withstand voltage of 630V. The power is an
110V DC power and its maximum output current is 3A.
Back-EMF of Receive Coil (V)

70

60
The on-off control frequency of power switch tube T is
630 kHz. Experimental result shows that the power can be
50
transferred is up to 50W, the transfer efficiency is more
40
than 60%, and the maximum distance of energy transfer
30
can reach to 300mm.
20
In another energy transfer experiment, the larger
10
diameter resonance coils are used. The parameters of
0
600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900
receiving resonance coil are same with the source
Frequence of K (kHz) resonance coil. The diameter of inductance coil is 500 mm.
The conductor is multiple wires whose cross section area
Figure 4. Relationship between different driving frequency fk and is 0.75mm2 and the coil turn is 2. The capacitor is a 4.4nF
back-EMF of the receiving coil film capacitor with a withstand voltage of 630V. The
power is a 25V/120W DC power. The driving frequency
When LC circuit has been set, its inherent resonance is 310 kHz. The experimental result shows that the
frequency can be calculated by formula (2). Changing the maximum transfer power is also 50W, and the transfer
frequency of AC source equivalent to changing the efficiency can still be more than 60%. The transfer
driving frequency f k , which change the magnetic field distance is 1 meter which is longer than that by using
small diameter coil resonator.
generated by LC circuit. The curves in Figure 4 show the
relationship between different driving frequency fk and Experiments of energy transfer show that transfer
back-EMF of the receiving coil. The simulation result efficiency varies with the distance between the source and
 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC), September 3-5, 2008, Harbin, China
receiving resonance coils. The longer is the distance
between source and receiving coil, the lower the transfer
power and efficiency is.
One advantage of this technology is energy transfer can
go though various objects. Many different kinds of
obstacles were placed between the source and receiving
coils respectively to test the ability of going through
objects. Experiment result shows that energy can still be
transferred even the receiver is sheltered in most
conditions. Non-metallic objects such as walls, books,
wooden products, organic glass panels, leather, and
textiles have no impact on power transfer. The impact of
metallic objects on the system depends on different
characteristics of metal conductor. It would have slight
impact if the object with size less than the diameter of coil,
or which cannot generate a larger eddy current; If the
metallic objects which can generate larger eddy current or
form a close loop is close to this system, the impact will
be greater even block energy transfer.
Figure 6. The schematic diagram of Energy transfer experiment
adding enhanced coil
In addition, as shown in figure 6, it is found that when a
LC resonance circuit with the same parameters and sizes
of the source resonance circuit is placed between the
source and receiving resonance coil but close to the source
one, the energy transfer distance and transfer power can be
improved both. More analysis and experimental study still
need to be done to analyze the root of this phenomenon.
VI. CONCLUSION
Based on the experimental result and analysis, it is
proved that energy transfer is completely feasible using
the technology of magnetic coupling resonance.
Nevertheless, there are still a lot of research and
experimental work to be done to make this technology
more practical.
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