Using VNA for IPT Coupling Factor Measurement

Contactless power transmission is a major concern due to its many applications in the modern technique. Different topologies for near field transmission are presented in literature, with emphasis on the efficiency of the process, especially when such systems are used for medium or high power, like those needed for charging of storage batteries in electric/hybrid cars. This paper analyzes one of the system's key elements which provides the magnetic inductive transfer between the power supply and load, hereinafter referred to as inductive coupler. For a fast identification of its parameters, the automatic determination of the transfer function by a vector network analyzer (VNA) is used in this paper.