Wireless Power Transfer is loosely the transmission of electricity without wires. Whilst near-field wireless power transfer involves the transmission of electricity over a relatively small distance, basically over a few centimeters, far-field wireless power transmission involves transmission of power in the form of electromagnetic radiation over 10s of meters to several Kms (power beaming).
Wireless power transmission would be applied extensively in electric vehicle charging, charging of connected sensors and devices, remote machines and robots, improvement and support of the electric grid, use to augment power supply during outages etc.
Source of electrical energy (from the grid, battery etc.)
The electrical energy from the source is converted to microwave radiation by a combination of electromagnetic radiation converters and beamed by antennas in the case of a long range wireless power transfer (deliberately excluded for simplicity). The antenna and electromagnetic radiation converter combine to form a transmitter.
The electromagnetic energy travel in space at a speed of 300,000Km/s (same as the speed of light). The microwave component is better for power transmission purposes since microwave has minimal energy loss when it passes through air and other obstacles.
The electromagnetic energy is then received by a rectenna -comprising of a receiving antenna, a rectifier and other components that convert the electromagnetic radiation in the form of microwave energy back into electrical energy
The electrical energy that has been converted from electromagnetic radiation , is loaded back into a battery or other sources of energy storage
Some Key Applications of Wireless Power Transfer Technology
Wireless power transfer would improve deployment and adoption of Industrial Internet of Things-connected sensors, devices etc., implantable medical devices, unmanned aerial vehicles, ubiquitous electric vehicle charging and adoption of other net zero technologies.