Performance Evaluation of a Wireless Power Transfer System using
Coupled 3D Finite Element-Circuit Model
A.O. Hariri, A. Berzoy, A.A.S. Mohamed, Student Members, IEEE and O.A. Mohammed, Fellow IEEE
Energy Systems Research Laboratory,
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Florida International University
Miami, Florida, USA
mohammed@fiu.edu
Abstract —This paper presents a performance evaluation
procedure for an inductive wireless power transfer (WPT)
system with a parallel-parallel compensation network. The effect
of the WPT system design parameters on its efficiency is
investigated. The WPT system is modeled using a 3D
electromagnetic field technique coupled with circuit simulation.
The 3D finite element (3DFE) model is created and a MATLAB-
FEA automated routine configures the model parameters.
Moreover, the paper proposes a mathematical model for
efficiency assessment purposes. The results from the 3DFE and
the mathematical model are compared with the results of a
Matlab Simulink model for the same system. The results show
good agreement between all the models.
Index Terms — Coupled electromagnetic-circuit model, Wireless
power transfer, Coupled resonators, 3D Finite Element analysis,
Mathematical model.
I. INTRODUCTION
As more research is being directed for analyzing and
developing WPT systems, issues involving electromagnetic
resonance, inductive charging and other multi-disciplinary
areas are being addressed. These involve power electronics,
controls, communication, and electromagnetic design and
analysis. Various techniques can be utilized in the applications
of WPT and can be categorized into analytical, numerical,
and/or experimental techniques. Analytical methods include
equivalent circuit modeling and scattering parameter (S-
parameters) analysis. The second category include Finite
Element Analysis (FEA) for system electromagnetic
modeling, high frequency structured simulation, and coupled
field and lumped parameter analysis. The third category is the
experimental methods including S-parameters measurements,
field measurements as well as power and energy emission
tests [1].
The literature demonstrates several applications of 3DFE
models of WPT coupled resonators in comparative studies and
performance analysis studies where FEA have been utilized to
accurately obtain the parameters of the coil transfer system,
and then using them to evaluate the performance of the link
based on the derived analytical equations [2-3].
In this paper, the numerical technique involving coupled
electromagnetic field analysis and electric circuit is used. This
coupled model is utilized to evaluate the WPT system
efficiency and performance. The efficiency calculation is
based on FEA of the WPT system to ensure a high level of
modeling accuracy. A MATLAB-FE routine, which serves as
an interface from which the changes to the 3DFE model and
the circuit parameters are applied automatically, is developed.
Then the FE model results are compared with a mathematical
model’s results for validation purposes.
II. WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER MODELING
There are 3 different mechanisms for wireless energy
transfer: inductive coupling, self-resonant coupling and
modified resonant coupling [4]. The modeling for WPT using
inductive resonant coupling mechanism can be done by: (1)
the equivalent lumped parameter circuit model (ELPCM)
and/or (2) a FE model coupled with an electric circuit.
The ELPCM can be used since the characteristic
wavelength (separation distance of the coils) of the system
under study is smaller than 1/10𝑡ℎ of the relevant wavelength
(wavelength of magnetic field) [5]. Also, a mathematical
equation for efficiency calculation is presented in the paper for
verification purposes. The details for the FE model, and the 2
verification models are further explained below.
A. Equivalent Lumped Parameter Circuit Modeling
The equivalent circuit model of the WPT system with the
parallel-parallel compensation network, which is the basic T-
model of two coupled inductors, is shown in figure 1 where
𝐿𝐿1 and 𝐿𝐿2 are the leakage inductances for the transmitting
and receiving coils, M is the mutual inductance, 𝑅1 and 𝑅2 are
the equivalent series resistances (parasitic resistances) of the
transmitting and receiving coils, 𝐶1 and 𝐶2 are the capacitors
to impose the resonance and 𝑅𝐿 is the load.
R1 LL1 LL2 R2 IRL
Iin + +
IL1 IL2
Vin M Vout
C1 _ C2 RL _
Fig.1. Electric Circuit and modeling of the WPT
978-1-4673-7447-7/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE
 The power efficiency 𝜂 can be derived from the circuit in separation off the coaxial axis) and symmetry of the two coils
Fig. 1 as: (symmetry of shape, area, and turns ratio).
2
PRL |IRL | R L The selection of the best combination of these parameters
η= = for maximizing the power transfer efficiency is a complex
Pin |I | R + |I |2 R + |I |2 R
2 (1)
L1 1 L2 2 RL L problem due to the high number of parameters, some of which
are electrical and others geometrical, thus making a simple
Where PRL is the output power, Pin is the input power, IRL is circuit simulation insufficient for solving this problem.
the load current and IL1 and IL2 are the resonant coil currents. Therefore, a MATLAB-FE routine, which serves as an
Starting from (1), and using simple circuit analysis of the interface from which the changes to the 3DFE model and the
ELPCM, (2) can be derived. circuit parameters are applied automatically, is developed. At
1 each combination of two selected parameters (e.g: coil wire
η= gauge, distance, etc.), a series of steps linking the MATLAB
R1 R
1+A + 2 L 2 R2 (2) and the FE model are made. The script allows for executing
RL ω L2 the FE software to perform changes in the circuit or the 3DFE
model’s parameters by passing execution. Following the
Where ω is the resonance frequency and A can be defined changes made in the FE model, the solver is executed from
as: MATLAB. The needed parameters, such as currents and
voltages in the circuit components are passed back to the
2
Ll2 +RL C2 R2 2 −RL −R2 Ll2 MATLAB script and used to calculate the efficiency. The
A = (1 + ) +( + ωR L C2 (1 + )) (3)
M ωM M complete flowchart of this process is shown in Fig. 3.

T2

T2
The resonance frequency is chosen to be compatible with

8.0547e-008

8.0547e-008
the Qi standard [6] that was developed by the Wireless Power

CoilR
CoilT

100
SIN

C1

C2

R1
I1
Consortium. The resonance is imposed by choosing the
capacitance value, C, that will satisfy the resonance criteria in

T1

T1
Electric Circuit Electric Circuit
(4), where L is the value of the self-inductance of the coil. CoilT
1 1
C1 = 2 , C2 = 2 (4)
L1 ω L2 ω

B. 3DFE Modeling 3D-FEA

CoilR R Geometry
The geometry used for the inductive resonant coupling
WPT consist of two approximations of Litz coils. The use of Fig.2. The 3DFE coils coupled with an electric circuit
these coils allow significant decrease of the undesirable ac
resistance caused by the skin effect which is a usual START

consequence of high frequency level in the application at hand

[7]. Fig. 2 shows the complete circuit as modeled in the FEA MATLAB
For loop
program (Infolytica-Magnet). The CoilT and CoilR represent
the coils modeled in the 3DFE software. The current source STOP
PLOT RESULTS
and the capacitors (C1 and C2) are modeled as ideal YES
CRITERIA

components in this simulation; R1 is the load. The 3DFE coils NO

are modeled each as a copper ring where the cross-sectional END Vary N, G,
YES
Invoke
area of the ring is AR = 0.785 cm2 , the number of turns is N1/N2 Infolityca

NO
defined as N, and the geometric radius is defined as R= 20 cm. YES Solve Static 3D
Infolityca
Vary f, R, d
is open
NO
III. THE FINITE ELEMENT AND MATLAB SCRIPT Invoke
Get Energy W

Infolityca
In order to achieve the goal of wirelessly transferring Return W to
MATLAB
Calculate L, C
power, across long distance and with high levels of efficiency, and asigned
it is important to investigate the effect of different system Solve Time Get Io, Vo, Ii, Calculate
parameters on the transmitted power and efficiency, and then Harmonics Vi Efficiency

apply a design technique that will provide the optimum

combination of these parameters to achieve the best system Fig.3. Platform interface methodology MATLAB and FEA.
performance. The design parameters of WPT circuit can be
classified as follows: (1) Electric Circuit Parameters: the
inductance value (L), the capacitance value (C) and the IV. RESULTS AND VERIFICATION
resonance frequency (ω). (2) Geometrical Parameters: For the A. 3DFE Model Results and Validation
coil (to get the required L): number of turns (N), dimensions of
the coils (radius R), gauge of the cable (g), shape of the cable, Fig. 4 shows the 3D model in the FEA software, Infolytica,
and shape of the coil (circular, triangular, square, etc.). For the showing the magnetic field density on 2 slices defined in the
setup structure: distance between coils (d), alignment (angle of
model. A zoom view on the transmitting coil, and how the
generated field linking the coils appear on the two slices, is
shown.
Fig. 5 shows the variation of the magnetic field density
along the line P1 (line midway between the two coils (on the
horizontal slice)), along P3 (coplanar with coilR), and along
P2, (axial direction of the two coils (on the vertical slice)). The
figure shows, as expected, that the magnetic field decreases as
the distance increases away from the center (Fig. 5(a)). Also,
the field magnitude through CoilT is larger than through
CoilR (Fig. 5(b)). The two maxima that are depicted in (Fig.
5(c)) correspond to the positions where the plane intersects the
copper ring of the coil.
For purpose of corroboration, the electric variable
waveforms obtained from the FE software and from the
ELPCM are compared as shown in Fig. 6. It is clear that they
on the efficiency is graphed at different distances. As the
distance between the two coils is an important parameter that
directly affects the coupling factor of the two resonators, the
effect of the change of these parameters is expected to be
attenuated with an increase of the distance. The simulation
results in figures show that, as expected, efficiency decrease
as the distance of separation of the coils increase. Examining
the obtained graphs, Fig. 7 shows that as the number of turns
are varied, the efficiency reaches a maximum value at a
specific number of turns. Therefore, at each specified distance,
it is required to determine this number of turns that will give
the maximum efficiency. The same figure also shows that as
the distance increase, the number of turns that give maximum
efficiency is not the same, but rather decreases as distance
increases.
Simulink model FE model
200

V in
0 (a)
highly correlated. -200
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02
P2 CoilT 10
CoilT

IL1
P1 0 (b)
-10
P3
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02
200

V out
0 (c)
CoilR
-200
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02
10
L2
0
(d)
I

CoilR
-10
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02
Horiz Time (msec)
Vertical Slice

ontal
Slice
Fig.6. Simulink and FE model results (a) input voltage (V) (b) primary coil
current (A) (a) output voltage (V) (b) secondary coil current (A)

Fig.4. Magnetic Field Plots from 3DFEA Using Slices 100

-5
x 10
Transfer Effeciency (%)
Bmag (T)

5 80
d=2 cm
(a) d=20 cm
0 d=38 cm
0 20 40 60 80 60 d=56 cm
Distance along P1 (cm) d=76 cm
-4 d=94 cm
x 10
40
Bmag (T)

1
(b)
0 20
0 20 40 60 80
Distance along P2 (cm)
-3
x 10 0
1.5
Bmag (T)

0 5 10 15 20 25
1 Number of Turns (N)
0.5 (c)
0 Fig.7. Efficiency versus number of turns at different distances
0 20 40 60 80
Distance along P3 (cm)
Fig.5. Magnetic field density magnitude (a) along line P1 (b) along line P2 (c) Fig. 8 shows the efficiency versus turns ratio, where the
along line P3
turns of the transmitting coil is fixed to 5, and the number of
B. 3DFE-MatLab Script Results turns of the receiving coil is varied from 1 to 23. The behavior
of this figure is similar to Fig. 7. Nevertheless, as the distance
The number of turns, turns ratio and the coil wire gauge are increase, in this case, the turns’ ratio should be increased to
the key design parameters which directly affect the equivalent get a more efficient link. Figure 9 also shows the efficiency
series resistance of the resonating coils. They were chosen for versus turns’ ratio while fixing the number of turns of the
studying the effect of varying them on the power transfer receiving coil to 5, and varying the number of turns of the
efficiency. The results are presented in figures 7 through 10. transmitting coil from 1 to 23. In this case, the efficiency
These results were obtained using the FE-MATLAB script increases with an increase of the turns ratio, but with a
introduced earlier. The influence that these parameters have
decreasing rate. Figure 10 shows the efficiency versus coil
gauge, which is varied from 6 to 21 AWG. As expected,
increasing the coil wire gauge decreases the efficiency, as the
coil ESR increases, increasing the losses.
100
80
Transfer Effeciency (%)
parameters of one of the models, and a comparison between:
the efficiency obtained by using the circuit signals obtained
from the FE-MATLAB script (Efficiency Script), the
efficiency obtained from simulating the T-model shown in
Fig. 1 (Efficiency Circuit Simulation), and the efficiency
d=2 cm
d=20 cm
obtained by using equation 2 (Efficiency Equation).
d=38 cm The points shown in the table were chosen randomly from
d=56 cm
d=76 cm among all the points verified to show that all the graphs

d=94 cm
displayed earlier have been successfully verified.
60 It is noticed that the efficiency calculated from the equation
was closer to the efficiency obtained from the FE than was the
40
efficiency obtained from circuit simulation.
20
TABLE I
0 VERIFICATION OF SEVERAL OF THE SIMULATED POINTS
0 1 2 3 4 5
Turns Ratio (N1/N2) 5:v Gauge Eff. Eff.
N1:N2 Distance Eff. Eqn.
Fig.8. Efficiency versus Turns Ratio N1=5 N2=variable at different (𝒄𝒎𝟐 ) Script Cir. Sim.
distances. 5:5 38 0.034 66.49 65.64 66.44
20:20 56 0.034 7.004 6.605 6.996
5:20 76 0.034 0.298 0.288 0.298
100 d=2 cm
d=20 cm
5:5 38 0.00823 31.14 30.95 31.15
d=38 cm 5:5 56 0.106 48.21 45.77 48.19
80 d=56 cm
Transfer Effeciency (%)

d=76 cm
d=94 cm
V. CONCLUSION
60
A procedure using electromagnetic field analysis coupled
40 with electric circuit was developed for the performance
evaluation of a WPT system. This coupled model was
20 implemented as a 3DFE-MATLAB automated script which
was utilized for the performance evaluation of the WPT
0
coupled resonators link. The result obtained were verified
0 1 2 3
Turns Ratio (N1/N2) v:5
4 5 using both circuit simulation, and mathematical equation.
Fig. 9. Efficiency versus Turns Ratio N1=variable N2=5 at different
distances. REFERENCES
[1] C. Mi, S. Bhattacharya, and M. K. Mallela, “Study Methods of
100 Wireless Power Transfer Technology in Electric Vehicle
Charging - IEEE Transportation Electrification Initiative Web
80
Portal.”.
Transfer Effeciency (%)

[2] S.-H. Lee and R. D. Lorenz, “Development and Validation of

60
d=2 cm Model for 95%-Efficiency 220-W Wireless Power Transfer
d=20 cm
d=38 cm Over a 30-cm Air Gap,” IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., vol. 47, no. 6,
d=56 cm pp. 2495–2504, Nov. 2011.
40 d=76 cm
d=94 cm [3] H. Fujibe and K. Kesamaru, “Magnetic field analysis of
wireless power transfer via magnetic resonant coupling for
20
electric vehicle,” in 2013 International Conference on
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0
[4] K. Y. Kim, Wireless Power Transfer: Principles and
5 10 15 20 25 Engineering Explorations. Intech, 2012.
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http://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/. [Accessed: 06-Feb-
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