Power Electronic Tips

Evaluation kit aims to simplify low-power wireless charging design

Redding Traiger — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 16:39:48 +0000

Eggtronic has unveiled a new evaluation board that allows engineers to quickly develop and prototype ultra-efficient, low-component count wireless power transfer designs for low-power applications. The WaveEgg Low-Power (LP) EVB is built on Eggtronic’s proprietary, high-frequency WaveEgg architecture, which optimizes performance and efficiency and reduces component count and form factor in high-performance power converter and wireless power transmission systems. Ideally suited to wirelessly charging and powering small, smart devices and IoT products, WaveEgg delivers powers between 0.5 W and 30W and can work at extremely high frequencies (from some MHz to tens of MHz, including ISM 6.78 – 13.56 – 27.12 MHz).

WaveEgg offers end-to-end efficiency that is significantly higher than traditional systems while allowing the overall bill of materials (BoM) to be reduced. Using the WaveEgg LP EVB, engineers will be able to create systems with high low-load to full-load efficiency using fewer components than standard class D, class-E, class F, class Phi, and other resonant wireless power transfer solutions – including Qi, – and Airfuel-based technologies.

WaveEgg is based on Eggtronic’s EPIC (Eggtronic Power Integrated Controller) ICs. These ICs integrate a 32-bit RISC-V core and high-performance digital and analog peripherals and feature a flexible internal structure that supports control of both standard and proprietary power conversion architectures. High efficiency over the whole load range is achieved through a proprietary design that achieves zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) and quasi-zero-current-switching (quasi-ZCS) on the transmission side and ZVS+ZCS on the receiving side.

At an output of 6W and a switching frequency of 2 MHz, WaveEgg achieves an efficiency of 85%. The requirement for fewer components than conventional designs further contributes to efficiency by reducing losses from non-ideal component behavior. Additional component count reduction is possible for battery charging applications as the receiver is also capable of charging a battery through a step-down converter implementing a CC/CV mode algorithm, eliminating the need for a battery charger controller.

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Wireless charging eval board delivers 50 W

Redding Traiger — Fri, 24 May 2024 02:14:48 +0000

STMicroelectronics has introduced a 50W, Qi-compatible transmitter and receiver combination to accelerate the development of wireless charging for high-power applications such as medical and industrial equipment, home appliances, and computer peripherals.

Using ST’s new wireless charging solution, innovators can leverage the convenience and speed of wireless charging in applications that demand a higher power and shorter charging interval. These applications include vacuum cleaners, cordless power tools, drones, and other mobile robots, medical drug delivery devices, portable ultrasound systems, stagelighting and mobile lighting, printers, and scanners. Free from cables, connectors, and complex docking arrangements, these products can become simpler, more affordable, and more robust.

The STEVAL-WBC2TX50 transmitter board is capable of delivering up to 50W of output power using the ST Super Charge (STSC) protocol. STSC is ST’s proprietary protocol for wireless charging at a faster rate than the standard protocols used with smartphones and similar devices, allowing quicker recharging of larger batteries. The board also supports the Qi 1.3 5W Baseline Power Profile (BPP) and 15W Extended Power Profile (EPP). The main component on-board is ST’s STWBC2-HP transmitter system-in-package, which combines an STM32G071 Arm Cortex-M0 microcontroller and an application-specific front end. The front end provides signal conditioning and frequency control, a high-resolution PWM generator to drive the transmitter, and operates with any DC voltage from 4.1V to 24V. It also contains MOSFET gate drivers and a D+/D- interface for USB Power Delivery. In addition, the STWBC2-HP SiP can work with ST’s STSAFE-A110 secure element to provide Qi authentication.

The STEVAL-WLC98RX receiver board is built to handle up to 50W charging power, to safely accommodate the full STSC capability as well as BPP and EPP charging. Features include support for Adaptive Rectifier Configuration (ARC), which extends charging distance by up to 50% to allow lower-cost coils and more flexible configurations. Accurate voltage and current measurement for Foreign Object Detection (FOD), thermal management, and system protection are also provided. This board uses ST’s STWLC98 wireless power receiver IC, which contains a Cortex-M3 core and an integrated high efficiency synchronous-rectifier power stage with programmable output voltage up to 20V.

Dedicated software tools, ST’s STSW-WPSTUDIO for the STEVAL-WLC98RX and STSW-WBC2STUDIO for the STEVAL-WBC2TX50 are available to modify the configuration parameters, tailoring the operation of the device to the needs of customized applications. A comprehensive set of design documents is also available to assist development.

The boards come with a Declaration of Conformity to the EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and are available from the ST eStore and from distributors. Pricing starts at $113.93 for the STEVAL-WLC98RX receiver and $109.03 for the STEVAL-WBC2TX50 transmitter.

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APEC 2024 to include workshop on wireless power technology

Redding Traiger — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:55:47 +0000

The purpose and focus of the workshop are to identify the latest improvements in wireless power technology and will cover the different dimensions to successfully integrate these new technologies into products. These include the technical foundation, innovations in power electronics semiconductors technologies, use cases, industry standards, common engineering challenges, regulatory and safety requirements, and how to conquer them.

Product designers looking to overcome the rigid limitations of first-generation wireless power technologies, to provide increased spatial freedom and the ability to charge multiple devices from a single transmitter simultaneously, will greatly benefit from the course. The target audiences for the Next Generation Wireless Power Workshop include wireless power system designers for consumer electronics, robots, autonomous vehicles, IoT devices, medical devices, and others. The target audiences also include people involved in the wireless power industry supply chain ranging from manufacturers of Power ICs including GaN, magnetic materials and structures, fabricators of magnetic components, providers of modeling and simulation software as well as manufacturers of test and characterization equipment.

The workshop will address several market applications including consumer electronics, IOT devices (including those that are batteryless), wearable and implantable devices, personal mobility devices, autonomous devices, etc. The workshop will include presentations and demonstrations to address specific technical issues.

The workshop will open with a keynote presentation that will provide an overview of wireless power technologies and the key technical concepts. We will discuss the technical advancements driving the evolution of the 2nd generation wireless power technologies and the experiential benefits enabled. We will then cover Magnetic Resonance and RF Harvesting technologies in detail, how to determine which technology is most appropriate for a given use case, integrating them into your product, relevant design trade-offs to be considered, and so on. We will conclude by discussing the safety and regulatory requirements for wireless power and why it is essential to factor these into the design at the start. There will be ample opportunity for Q&A during each presentation.

During the provided breakfast, lunch, and the networking hour at the end of the workshop there will be interactive tabletop technology demonstrations each addressing specific technical disciplines and capabilities consistent with the workshop agenda. Interaction between the attendees and the presenters is highly encouraged.

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