“Wireless Electricity”

PRESENTED BY: AMIT MAHAJAN

 Witricity Basics
 Short Range Wireless Energy Transmission: Inductive
Coupling
 Medium Range Wireless Energy Transmission: Resonant
Induction
 Detailed Principle
 How Safe is WiTricity?
 What's the Future of WiTricity?
 Advantages
 Limitations
 Bibliography
 Currently, wired electricity powers nearly
everything. It travels through wires in the form
of Alternating Current, and powers most of our
devices in the form of Direct Current.

 In our present electricity generation system

we waste more than half of its resources.
Especially the transmission and distribution
losses are the main concern of the present
power technology.
 The resistance of the wire used in the
electrical grid distribution system causes a
loss of 26-30% of the energy generated.
This loss implies that our present system of
electrical distribution is only 70-74%
efficient. We have to think of alternate
technology to transmit and distribute the
electricity. The transmission of power
without wires may be one noble alternative
for electricity transmission.
 The Transfer of Electricity from one place to
another without wires is known as “WiTricity”.

 On June 7 ’07, a team of researchers at MIT

announced the successful operation of WiTricity
concept.

 They had lit up a 60W bulb with a power

source at a distance of 7 feet(over 2m) with no
wires.
 Prof. Marin Soljacic from Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), is the one
who has proved that magnetic coupled
resonance can be utilized in order to transfer
energy without wires. What's even more
interesting is how he came about this
idea. Soljacic, just like any of us was fed
up of his 'low battery' beeping cell phone
and wondered just like any of us if there
was a way to get rid of this 'charging
problem'.
 However, here is where the difference
between Soljacic and any of us comes in. He
didn't just stand there wondering, instead
he tried to figure out if there existed
any physical phenomenon which could be
of some help. He remembered Michael
Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic
induction (1831) and used it to come up
with WiTricity.
 There are 3 major types of wireless energy
transfer:
 – Short range; Inductive Coupling
 – Medium range; Resonant Induction
 – Long range; Electromagnetic Wave Power

Transfer
 What Is Inductive Coupling?
 Inductive Coupling is a method for short

range wireless energy transfer.

 Its range can vary, but it’s often very short.
 Because of its short range it usually is used

when the device containing the receiver

and the device containing the transmitter
are touching.
 Inductive coupling works on the
principles of electromagnetism:

When a current (electricity) passes

through a wire, it generates a magnetic
field perpendicular to the wire.
This effect can be magnified through
coiling the wire.
When a wire is in proximity to a
magnetic field, it generates a current in
that wire.

Transferring energy between wires

through magnetic fields is inductive
coupling.

Magnetic fields decay quickly , making

inductive coupling effective only at very
short ranges.
Pros: safe, efficient. Cons: Limited range.
 Inductive coupling is used for wireless
charging of electronic devices. Although its
range is limiting, several products use
inductive coupling to charge, such as
electric toothbrushes.
 What Is Resonant Induction?

 A group of engineers at MIT came up

with the idea to use resonant induction
to transmit power wirelessly. They
deemed their result “WiTricity” (like
Wi-Fi) . WiTricity can transmit
electricity wirelessly at 40% efficiency
to about 7 feet.
 Resonant induction still uses the same
principles as magnetic induction (magnetic
fields to transfer current) , but it uses
resonance to increase the range at which the
transfer can efficiently take place.

 “Resonance", a phenomenon that causes an

object to vibrate when energy of a certain
frequency is applied.
 Everything resonates at a certain
frequency, based on its shape and material.
 Energy transfers easily between resonating

objects. An example of this is when an

opera singer shatters wine glasses by
singing at the frequency at which the
glasses resonate.
 With resonant induction, power is
transmitted between two resonating coils.
 Consider two self resonating copper coils of
same resonating frequency with a diameter
20 inches each. One copper wire is
connected to the power source (WiTricity
transmitter), while the other copper wire is
connected to the device (WiTricity Receiver).
 The electric power from the power source
causes the copper coil connected to it to
start oscillating at a particular (MHz)
frequency.
 Subsequently, the space around the copper
coil gets filled with nonmagnetic radiations.
This generated magnetic field further
transfers the power to the other copper coil
connected to the receiver. Since this coil is
also of the same frequency, it starts
oscillating at the same frequency as the first
coil. This is known as 'coupled resonance' and
is the principle behind WiTricity.
 The first copper coil (24 inches in diameter)
was connected to the power source and the
second was connected to the bulb, and were
made to resonate at a frequency of 10 MHz. The
bulb glowed even when different objects (like a
wooden panel) were placed between the two
coils. The system worked with 40% efficiency and
the power that wasn't utilized remained in the
vicinity of the transmitter itself, and did not
radiate to the surrounding environment.
 No, this concept of wireless electricity is not
new. In fact it dates back to the 19th
century, when Nikola Tesla used
conduction- based systems instead of
resonance magnetic fields to transfer
wireless power. Further, in 2005, Dave
Gerding coined the term WiTricity which
is being used by the MIT researchers
today.
 Moreover, we all are aware of the use of
electromagnetic radiation (radio waves)
which is quite well known for wireless
transfer of information. In addition, lasers
have also been used to transmit energy
without wires. However, radio waves are
not feasible for power transmissions
because the nature of the radiation is such
that it spreads across the place, resulting into
a large amount of radiations being wasted.
 And in the case of lasers, apart from
requirement of uninterrupted line of sight
(obstacles hinders the transmission
process), it is also very dangerous.
 What Soljacic's team has done is that
they have specifically tuned the
transmitting unit to the receiving device.
The transmission is also not hindered by the
presence of any object in the line of sight. If
the object to be charged is in the vicinity of
the WiTricity source, then the energy
transfer will undoubtedly take place.
 In this 'coupling resonance' system, the
electric energy that is not used up by
the receiver does not get radiated into
the surrounding environment, but remains
in the vicinity of the transmitter. This
ensures safety as well as minimal wastage of
power. One of the five researchers, Dr.
Aristeidis Karalis says that their coupling
resonance system is one million times
more efficient as compared to that of
Nikola Tesla.
 In 1891, Nikola Tesla invented a type of
resonant transformer called the Tesla coil,
which was used to generate very high
voltage, low current, and high frequency
alternating electricity. He experimented
with a large variety of coils and
configurations, one of which is as:
 Referring to Fig. 1, the capacitor 1C forms two
resonant circuits: one with the primary coil 1P, and
another with the secondary coil 1S. The voltage is
supplied by the Neon sign transformer 1T. The spark
gap 1SG consists of two electrodes separated by a
gap, filled with an inert gas. When high enough
voltage is applied across it, a spark forms, ionizing the
gas, and allowing conduction.
 As the voltage across the gap 1SG increases, the
charge across the capacitor 1C also increases.
 When the gap sparks, the capacitor discharges
into the primary and the secondary. Thus, the
voltage “bounces” back and forth at an extremely
high rate. When the rate of discharge between the
capacitor 1C and primary 1P, matches that of
the capacitor and secondary 1S, the two circuits
are said to be "in resonance". The voltage rises to
such high levels that it is discharged through the
discharge terminal in the form of an electric arc.
 Tesla used these coils to conduct numerous
innovative experiments. In 1899, he achieved a
major breakthrough in his work at Colorado by
transmitting 100 million volts of electric power
wirelessly over a distance of 26 miles to light up a
bank of 200 light bulbs and run one electric motor.
He claimed to have achieved 95% efficiency. The
method he used to wirelessly transmit electricity
was the employment of the earth's own resonance
with its specific vibrational frequency to conduct AC
electricity via a large electric oscillator at about 7.8
Hz.
 However, there were several safety hazards that
were needed to be considered. A Tesla Coil
produces high voltage electric arcs. These arcs
cause permanent damage to electrical devices on
contact. Many devices can also be damaged without
being directly struck by the arc, due to the sheer
amount of voltage being transferred. Tesla coils also
destroy hearing aids and cardiac pacemakers in
their vicinity. For all the above reasons, this
technology has been languishing in obscurity and
not much research has been carried out in the field
of wireless energy transfer.
 Human beings or other objects placed
between the transmitter and receiver do
not hinder the transmission of power.
However, does magnetic coupling or
resonance coupling have any harmful effects
on humans? MIT's researchers are quite
confident that WiTricity's coupling
resonance' is safe for humans. They say that
the magnetic fields tend to interact very
weakly with the biological tissues of the
body, and so are not prone to cause any
damage to any living beings.
 Safe, fairly efficient, good range:
 – Magnetic fields interact weakly with biological
masses (humans), and energy is only transmitted
between resonating objects.
 – Efficiency can be increased with time, most of the
60% lost is from heat radiated from the coils.
 Theoretically one stationary coil in a room could
power multiple devices with receiving coils.
 No more messy wires, and with widespread enough
use it could even eliminate costly batteries.
 The resonance condition should be satisfied
and if any error exists, there is no possibility of
power transfer.
 If there is any possibility of very strong
ferromagnetic material presence causes low
power transfer due to radiation.
 MIT's WiTricity is only 40 to 45% efficient and according
to Soljacic, they have to be twice as efficient to
compete with the traditional chemical batteries. The
team's next aim is to get a robotic vacuum or a laptop
working, charging devices placed anywhere in the room
and even robots on factory floors. The researchers
are also currently working on the health issues
related to this concept and have said that in
another three to five years time, they will come up
with a WiTricity system for commercial use.
 WiTricity, if successful will definitely change
the way we live. Imagine cellphones,
laptops, digital camera's getting self
charged! Wow! Let's hope the researchers
will be able to come up with the
commercial system soon. Till then, we wait
in anticipation!
1. An article published in the Science Magazine as “Wireless Power Transfer via
Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonances” by Andre kurs, Science 317, 83(2007);
Dol:10.1126/ science.1143254.
2. H. Haus , “Waves and Fields in Optoelectronics”, Prentice hall Publishers,
Englewood
3. http://electron9.phys.utk.edu/optics507/modules/m6/coupled_resonators.htm
4. “Efficient Non-Radiative Midrange Energy Transfer” by Aristeidies karalis, Marlin
Soljacic.
5. Nikola Tesla, My Inventions, Ben Johnston, Ed., Austin, Hart Brothers, p. 91,1982.
6. Thomas F. Valone, “ Tesla’ s Wireless Energy... For the 21st Century!!! One Step
Beyond Direct TV!!!” Extra Ordinary Technology, 1, no. 4, Oct / Nov / Dec 2003.
7. James O. McSpadden, “ Wireless Power Transmission Demonstration”, Texas A&M
University, June, 1997.
8. Charych Arthur (Setauket, NY), “ System and method for wireless electrical power
transmission”, Patent No. 6,798,716, September 28, 2004.
9. Joe T. Howell, et. al , “Advanced receiver / converter experiments for laser wireless
power transmission”5th. Wireless transmission conference, pp 1-8, Garanda,
Spain,2004.