Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs
With the growing use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for underwater exploration, efficient wireless charging solutions like inductive power transfer (IPT) are crucial for addressing power limitations. This paper presents a novel IPT system for USVs and introduces a systematic design approach for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/237 |
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| author | Qingyu Zhao Songyan Niu Ziyun Shao Linni Jian |
| author_facet | Qingyu Zhao Songyan Niu Ziyun Shao Linni Jian |
| author_sort | Qingyu Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the growing use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for underwater exploration, efficient wireless charging solutions like inductive power transfer (IPT) are crucial for addressing power limitations. This paper presents a novel IPT system for USVs and introduces a systematic design approach for optimizing magnetic couplers. The proposed design addresses three critical challenges: misalignment tolerance, lightweight construction, and thermal safety, which are intricately linked through a magnetic field. In terms of misalignment, this paper demonstrates that the coil length is a key factor in determining misalignment tolerance. For a lightweight design, replacing the ferrite plate with ferrite bars can significantly reduce the weight of the coupler without causing core saturation. The design is further validated through a two-way coupled electromagnetic–thermal simulation. The results reveal that, with proper thermal management, the system avoids thermal risks in underwater environments compared to air. Finally, a 3 kW prototype is constructed and tested in fresh water, achieving 55 V and 50 A wireless charging at an 85.7% full-load dc-to-dc efficiency, thus confirming the practicality and performance of the design. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-510f146143874d8f85e26ee3585e1a8d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-510f146143874d8f85e26ee3585e1a8d2025-01-24T13:30:45ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-01-0118223710.3390/en18020237Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVsQingyu Zhao0Songyan Niu1Ziyun Shao2Linni Jian3Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaWith the growing use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for underwater exploration, efficient wireless charging solutions like inductive power transfer (IPT) are crucial for addressing power limitations. This paper presents a novel IPT system for USVs and introduces a systematic design approach for optimizing magnetic couplers. The proposed design addresses three critical challenges: misalignment tolerance, lightweight construction, and thermal safety, which are intricately linked through a magnetic field. In terms of misalignment, this paper demonstrates that the coil length is a key factor in determining misalignment tolerance. For a lightweight design, replacing the ferrite plate with ferrite bars can significantly reduce the weight of the coupler without causing core saturation. The design is further validated through a two-way coupled electromagnetic–thermal simulation. The results reveal that, with proper thermal management, the system avoids thermal risks in underwater environments compared to air. Finally, a 3 kW prototype is constructed and tested in fresh water, achieving 55 V and 50 A wireless charging at an 85.7% full-load dc-to-dc efficiency, thus confirming the practicality and performance of the design.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/237inductive power transfermagnetic couplerlightweight designmisalignment tolerancethermal safetyunderwater surface vehicles |
| spellingShingle | Qingyu Zhao Songyan Niu Ziyun Shao Linni Jian Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs Energies inductive power transfer magnetic coupler lightweight design misalignment tolerance thermal safety underwater surface vehicles |
| title | Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs |
| title_full | Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs |
| title_fullStr | Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs |
| title_short | Hull-Compatible Underwater IPT System with Enhanced Electromagnetic–Thermal Performance for USVs |
| title_sort | hull compatible underwater ipt system with enhanced electromagnetic thermal performance for usvs |
| topic | inductive power transfer magnetic coupler lightweight design misalignment tolerance thermal safety underwater surface vehicles |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/237 |
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