Reconfigurable Resonant Regulating Rectifier With Primary Equalization for Extended Coupling- and Loading-Range in...

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Power Electronics
• Wireless Communication

Background:

• Reconfigurable resonant (R(3)) rectifiers for wireless power transfer (WPT) face limitations in handling variations in coupling and load.
• Existing WPT systems struggle with maintaining efficiency across diverse operating conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a primary-assisted regulation principle for enhancing the robustness of R(3) rectifiers.
• To extend the workable range of WPT systems under dynamic coupling and loading environments.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a primary-assisted regulation principle to control the secondary-side rectifier input voltage by adjusting the primary-side voltage (Veq).
• Developed a novel current-sensing method and calibration scheme for tracking Veq.
• Utilized a ramp generator for clock signals and integrated primary equalizer and R(3) rectifier circuits using a 0.35 μm CMOS process, with FPGA for global control.

Main Results:

• Extended workable coupling and loading ranges by 250% (at 120 mW load) and 300% (at 1.2 cm coil distance) with the primary equalizer.
• Achieved a maximum rectifier efficiency of 92.5% and a total system efficiency of 62.4%.

Conclusions:

• The primary-assisted regulation principle effectively mitigates limitations in R(3) rectifiers, significantly broadening their operational capabilities.
• The proposed system demonstrates substantial improvements in range extension and efficiency for wireless power transfer applications.