WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER RESONATOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT

• US 20110121920A1
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: MacDonald, Matthew J., Kesler, Morris P., Fiorello, Ron, Hall, Katherine L., Kurs, Andre B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/219.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/22 Cooling by heat conduction through solid or powdered fillings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer. Described are methods and designs to reduce and manage heating and heat dissipation in resonator structures. Configuration and orientation of magnetic material as well as heat sinking material with respect to the dipole moment of the resonator is used to reduce and control thermal properties of the resonator structure and reduce the effects of heating on the performance of wireless power transfer.

Claims

1. A resonator structure for wireless power transfer comprising:

a block of magnetic material;

an electrical conductor, wrapped around the block of magnetic material forming a number of loops substantially aligned around an axis; and

a block of a thermal conductor, wherein the block of the thermal conductor is positioned in contact with the block of magnetic material and between two of the loops of the electrical conductor.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the block of magnetic material is comprised of smaller tiles of magnetic material.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the tiles of magnetic material are arranged to minimize the number of the tile seams that are oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the conductor loops.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the tiles of magnetic material are processed to have a substantially regular seam between individual tiles of magnetic material.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein only the seams perpendicular to the axis of the conductor loops are processed to have substantially uniform gap.

6. The structure of claim 2, wherein the at least one block of thermal conductor is positioned over seams of tiles of the magnetic material.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the conductor is positioned over seams that are perpendicular to the axis of the conductor loops.

8. The structure of claim 6, wherein the at least one block of the thermal conductor is an elongated strip positioned to be substantially perpendicular to the axis of the conductor loops.

9. The structure of claim 6, wherein the at least on block of thermal conductor is coupled to a heat sink.

10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one block of the thermal conductor is an electrical conductor.

11. The structure of claim 10, wherein the at least one block of the thermal conductor is electrically isolated from the block of magnetic material.

12. The structure of claim 8, wherein the elongated strip is a hollow elongated strip having a hollow cavity.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein the hollow elongated strip has a coolant flowing through the hollow cavity.

14. The structure of claim 6, wherein the blocks of thermal conductors are positioned and in contact with the center of the block of magnetic material.

15. The structure of claim 6, wherein the blocks of thermal conductors are in contact and separated by less than 4 centimeters.

16. The structure of claim 1, wherein two or more conductors form loops (orthogonal or otherwise) around the block of magnetic material.

17. The structure of claim 16, wherein the at least one block of appropriately shaped thermal conductor makes contact with the magnetic material within areas bounded by loops of conductor.

18. A method of providing thermal management to a resonator comprising loops of a conductor wrapped around tiles of magnetic material, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one block of a thermally conductive material;

positioning the thermally conductive material in thermal contact with the tiles of magnetic material; and

thermally connecting the at least one block of thermally conductive material to a heatsink, wherein the at least one block of thermally conductive material is substantially perpendicular to a dipole moment of the resonator and the thermally conductive material substantially covers at least one seam between the tiles of magnetic material that are perpendicular to the dipole moment of the resonator.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one block of thermally conductive material comprises copper.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the copper blocks of thermally conductive material are electrically isolated from the tiles of magnetic material.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one block of thermally conductive material comprises aluminum.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the aluminum blocks of thermally conductive material are electrically isolated from the tiles of magnetic material.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one block of thermally conductive material is additionally designed to provide mechanical support and robustness to the structure.