MAGNIFICENT (Optimal design of inductor coils for multimodal electric vehicle charging systems)
The aim of the project is the modelling and optimisation of induction transfer systems for multimodular electric vehicles. To this end, the following actions will be carried out:
Firstly, a study of the state of the art and obtaining the characteristics of the three charging modes that allow WPT systems. Static charging, which occurs when the vehicle is stationary and lasts between a few minutes and hours, opportunity charging, which occurs when the vehicle is stationary for a short period of time, such as at bus stops or traffic lights, dynamic charging in the city, which allows the vehicle to be charged when it is moving around the city, and dynamic charging on the road, which occurs when the vehicle is moving along a road or motorway.
Once the different characteristics of these charging methods have been studied, the optimisation of the system is proposed according to their characteristics, seeking the best topology for each case. This initial optimisation is carried out considering that the inductor system is only made up of the primary and secondary windings and their resonance capacitors, obtaining the basic parameters, such as: number of turns; section; inductances; mutual induction coefficient; capacitor capacity; currents; efficiency; etc. This optimisation algorithm will be multi-objective, where the objective functions consist of cost minimisation.
Then, the wire used is optimised (by means of electromagnetic, CFD and heat transfer multiphysics analysis), the wire has an undesired electrical behaviour such as losses and these losses produce a thermal dissipation behaviour of the system. Therefore, we can see that this optimisation of the wire will entail reducing losses as much as possible and maximising heat dissipation. For this study, various types of wire and materials will be studied to optimise the system. In addition, this study will take into account the load time, carrying out stationary and transient thermal analyses, depending on the type of load. The ideal result of this point would be a system without cooling, a system with conductive resin and finally a refrigerated system, in terms of difficulty and incremental price.
Finally, the complete inductor system including the flux concentrator material and the shielding is optimised in a way that minimises the price. This also includes a thermal analysis of the assembly, considering the possibility of forced air cooling and liquid systems.
This whole process is iterative, and must be carried out several times to optimise the final system. Once the final systems have been obtained and at the lowest possible cost, prototypes of the most interesting results obtained will be made in order to carry out a real test of the system.
On the other hand, its behaviour will be studied for integration into the network. This will be done by modelling the appropriate system for its study in different networks that the group has characterised. Once all the results have been obtained, the project will be integrated into a series of easy-to-use Apps that allow the transfer of knowledge in a quick and agile way.
