Analytical solution and experimental validation of the electromagnetic field in an IPT system

This paper introduces the working principle of the inductive power transfer (IPT) system from the perspective of the electromagnetic field. Using Maxwell's equations, the analytical solution for the electromagnetic field, synthesized by the primary and secondary circular coils in an IPT system, is deduced in detail to obtain the electric field in the IPT system, and the derivation process is easy to understand for researchers engaged in IPT. The final solutions are obtained by combining analytical derivation and the numerical integration method to find the induced voltage in the secondary coil. Finally, by comparison, the simulation results from the finite element software are in a good agreement with those from the analytical analysis. Moreover, an IPT system is set up to validate the analytical and simulation results, and the maximal relative error is under 6% in different working conditions, which shows that it is feasible to understand the working principle of IPT systems from the viewpoint of the electromagnetic field.