Integrating a Wireless Power Transfer System into Online Laboratory: Example with NCSLab

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology is able to transmit electric power from the Tx side to Rx side without any electrical connection, realizing electrical isolation and breaking through the limitations of electric wires. Traditionally, finding the best working point of the WPT system is difficult as there are a great number of coupled parameters to tune. Besides, the experimenter has to be on site to carry out the experiment with limitations such as time, location, safety issue as well as sharing issue. In this paper, a two-coil structure WPT system is integrated into web-based online laboratory NCSLab using a controller and a DAQ (data acquisition) card as well as an user-defined algorithm. With the latest technologies brought in, NCSLab is completely plug-in free for experimentation on the WPT system. The optimum frequency can be easily obtained by setting the system in the sweep-frequency mode using the remote control platform. The remote control platform NCSLab addresses the safety issue and test rig sharing issue by offering experimenter flexibility to carry out WPT experiment anytime anywhere as long as the Internet is available. The integration of WPT system into NCSLab also provides teachers with a powerful tool for classroom demonstration of state-of-the-art technology.