Pulsed Current Constant Voltage (PCCV) Controller for Wireless Electric Vehicle Charger

Abstract

This paper presents the design and implementation of a wireless power transfer (WPT) system for electric vehicles (EVs). A pulsed-current constant-voltage (PCCV) controller is proposed for a phase-shifted full-bridge (PSFB) inverter that aims to improve the longevity of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and obtain a faster charging rate. The proposed controller utilizes an efficient charging technique called pulse charging, which charges the battery with pulses of current, allowing ions to be evenly distributed during relaxation periods, thus improving the life-cycle of the battery. This technique has proven to be more efficient when compared to the most common techniques, such as constant-current constant-voltage (CCCV) and multi-stage constant-current (MSCC). The proposed controller is verified using a real-time simulator and tested on the developed WPT system using a power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) simulation. Experimental results show successful operation of both PC mode and CV mode with a dc-dc efficiency of up to 86%.