<div>Electric vehicles (EVs) face a major issue before becoming the norm of society, that is, their lack of range when it comes to long trips. Fast charging stations are a good step forward to help make it simpler for EVs, but it is still not as convenient when compared to vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE). Plenty of infrastructure changes have been proposed in the literature attempting to tackle this issue, but they typically tend to be either an expensive solution or a difficult practical implementation.</div><div> </div><div> This dissertation presents two solutions to help increase the range of EVs: a novel wireless charging method and a multi-motor architecture for EVs. The first proposed solution involves the ability for EVs to charge while en route from another vehicle, which will be referred to from here on as vehicle-to-vehicle recharging (VVR). The aim of this system is to bring an innovative way for EVs to charge their battery without getting off route on a highway. The electric vehicle can request such a service from a designated charger vehicle on demand and receive electric power wirelessly while en route. The vehicles that provide energy (charger vehicles) through wireless power transfer (WPT) only need to be semi-autonomous in order to ``engage'' or ``disengage'' during a trip. Also, a novel method for wireless power transfer will be presented, where the emitter (TX) or receiver (RX) pads can change angles to improve the efficiency of power transmission. This type of WPT system would be suitable for the VVR system presented in this dissertation, along with other applications.</div><div> </div><div> The second solution presented here will be an architecture for EVs with three or more different electric motors to help prolong the state of charge (SOC) of the battery. The key here is to use motors with different high efficiency regions. The proposed control algorithm optimizes the use of the motors on-board to keep them running in their most efficient regions. With this architecture, the powertrain would see a combined efficiency map that incorporates the best operating points of the motors. Therefore, the proposed architecture will allow the EV to operate with a higher range for a given battery capacity.</div><div> </div><div> The state-of-the-art is divided into four subsections relevant to the proposed solutions and where most of the innovations to reduce the burden of charging EVs can be found: (1) infrastructure changes, (2) device level innovations, (3) autonomous vehicles, and (4) electric vehicle architectures. The infrastructure changes highlight some of the proposed systems that aim to help EVs become a convenient solution to the public. Device level innovations covers some of the literature on technology that addresses EVs in terms of WPT. The autonomous vehicle subsection covers the importance of such technology in terms of safety and reliability, that could be implemented on the VVR system. Finally, the EV architectures covers the current typologies used in EVs. Furthermore, modeling, analysis, and simulation is presented to validate the feasibility of the proposed VVR system, the WPT system, and the multi-motor architecture for EVs.</div>

Wireless powered communication (WPC) is an emerging paradigm where wireless devices are powered over the air while exchanging information with them. This technology is attractive for various wireless applications, including classical radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems, implantable sensors, environmental sensing as found in agriculture and forestry, and simultaneous charging and telemetry communications for electric vehicles. While recent studies have shown that inductive coupling provides a more energy-efficient and robust channel for short and middle-range wireless transmission, most of the previous analyses on WPC have been limited to far-field transmission models. To this end, this work provides a comprehensive framework to design and analyze WPC over inductively coupled circuits. We consider three problems, namely, wireless power transfer (WPT), simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT), and wireless powered communication network (WPCN) using multiple coupled coils. Each configuration is modeled by an abstract circuit model in which various effects, including mutual coupling and parasitic elements, are captured by a small number of measurable parameters. This technique allows us to not only eliminate the need for solving the circuit but also apply well-known signal processing techniques such as beamforming and channel estimation to inductively coupled models. For each of the three models, we derive the properties of the optimal source signal. In addition, we propose methods to design the load impedance of WPCN by taking into account the nonlinear effects due to impedance mismatches in the circuits.

<p>Lyophilization is the process of controllably removing the water content from a material with the objective of increasing its stability and, hence, its shelf life. This dissertation addresses two of the challenges faced by lyophilization, namely continuous temperature-monitoring and lengthy primary drying step.</p> <p>Continuous temperature monitoring of the product is imperative to a successful lyophilization process. It is more efficient to employ wireless temperature sensors rather than the conventional thermocouples. These wireless sensors need to keep a low profile that does not allow bulky battery attachment. Therefore, harvesting microwave energy is an excellent practice to power these sensors. Energy harvesting problem is twofold. One, designing an efficient flexible power-harvester (rectenna). To address this problem, we present a flexible rectenna with superior efficiency. While doing so, we establish the design procedure that can be followed for similar designs. Two, delivering sufficient power to the rectenna location inside the chamber. To address this problem, we propose two electromagnetic techniques, namely the statistical electromagnetics (SEM) and the electromagnetic time reversal (EMTR). These enable uniform power distribution and higher total efficiency.</p> As for the lengthy primary drying, to speed up the process, we propose RF-heating as a replacement for conventional heating. We establish a procedure for frequency selection based on the material under lyophilization and the geometrical properties of the freeze-drier’s chamber. The same techniques, SEM and EMTR are used. We conduct RF-assisted lyophilization processes based on SEM on different pharmaceutical bare excipients and on Myoglobin in four different excipients. The results confirm the superiority of the proposed technique in terms of drying time and heating uniformity.

In the era of Internet of things (IoT), sensor-equipped devices exchange data over networks. In battery powered IoT devices, the lifespan of the devices is often much longer than the battery life, leading to multiple costly and environmentally hazardous battery replacements during the operational life of the devices. As a result, there is a growing interest in using rechargeable batteries that can be wirelessly fast charged to prolong the lifespan of IoT devices and their batteries. In wireless power transfer based on induction, the transmitter and receiver antennas can be accurately modeled as two coils in separate circuits. The transmitter coil, energized by alternating current, generates an oscillating magnetic field that induces an electric field in the nearby receiver coil, following Faraday's law of induction. By connecting a resistive load to the receiver coil, it is then possible to extract energy from the induced electric field. This project investigates inductive fast charging for IoT devices with a focus on the electromagnetic power transfer. Two different types of coil antennas were simulated in a solver based on the finite element method and tested in lab for verification purpose. One was a transformer-like ETD coil and the other a flat spiral coil. Both the transmitter and receiver coils were compensated with a capacitor in series to allow for increased efficiency and power transfer at the designated frequency of 100 kHz. The compensating capacitors were tuned such that frequency bifurcation or frequency splitting was avoided. Due to the higher quality factor of the ETD coil compared to the spiral coil they were compensated differently to operate at the resonance peak. The simulation and the experimental tests agreed well, and the findings indicate that both types of coils demonstrate the ability to transfer high power with high efficiency. Theoretically there is no limit in the power transfer for both types of coils since it is proportional to the square of the excitation voltage. All tested coils exhibited the ability to transfer a power of at least 30 W with an 86 to 92 % efficiency without experiencing any significant temperature elevation. The advantages of each coil depend on the design of the systems surrounding the power transfer unit and the nature of the built charging system. For scenarios where the equivalent load resistance of the battery charger unit on the receiver remains relatively constant throughout the charging process, the spiral coil proves to be a suitable choice due to its inherent capacity for easy dimensioning, allowing optimal efficiency for a specific load resistance. Conversely, if the equivalent load resistance fluctuates significantly during the charging process, the ETD coil would be a better alternative, since it exhibits small load dependence and high efficiency. Finally, to further increase the validity of the simulation model, the full magnetization curve of the ferrite core and a more general core loss model should be implemented to enhance the accuracy in studying the effects of higher harmonics and when operating closer to saturation.

This research has its basis in developments within the field of inductive powering and wireless power transfer, WPT, and more specifically one the branch within this field, which is called magnetic resonance coupling. This principle enables efficient power transfer from a transmitting unit to a receiving unit at a distance of some times the unit diameter. The developments within magnetic resonant coupling are together with the possibilities and challenges of today’s smart textile industry the starting point to investigate a novel textile-based product concept for WPT by combining both technologies. Multiple textile samples, consisting of cotton and electrically conductive copper yarns, were produced by weaving technique, additional assembling of electronic components were performed manually and several measurements were carried out to investigate the sample characteristics and the sample performance in terms of power transfer. The produced samples showed to behave similarly to conventional inductors and were able to transfer power over some distance.

Le sujet de thèse abordé dans ce mémoire s'inscrit dans la thématique du LE²P sur l'autonomie énergétique des réseaux de capteurs. Ce travail est axé sur la partie réception et redressement du transfert de l'énergie sans fil pour l'apport d'énergie à des capteurs nomades. Ce procédé n'est pas nouveau et prend son origine dans les années 1950. Les connaissances dans l'appréhension de ce processus sont nombreuses pour certains guides d'onde tels que le microruban. Mais la nécessité de perçages dans ces structures de guide d'onde peut être contraignante et causer des disparités dans une chaîne de construction. Ceci a motivé les travaux présentés dans ce mémoire qui utilise une technologie de guide d'onde coplanaire (CPW) peu exploitée. Ainsi, la conception d'un tel dispositif passe par la maîtrise d'un point de vue conceptuel et expérimental de cette technologie. La démarche consiste à utiliser ce guide d'onde coplanaire en minimisant les effets négatifs que peut engendrer ce dernier, pour s'abroger du besoin de perçage et faciliter la réalisation des dispositifs de redressement en limitant le nombre d'interactions humaines. / The thesis subject dealt in this report lies in the LE²P framework on the energy sustainability of wireless sensor network. This work is dedicated to the reception and rectifying part of wireless power transfer to give energy sustainability to nodes in a sensor network. This process is not new and originate from the years 1950. The behavior of this process is since well-known in several waveguide such technology as microstrip. But the need of drill in those waveguide circuit may be inconvenient and lead to discrepancy from one circuit to another. This was the motivational keystone to the work address in this report which uses coplanar waveguide (CPW) over microstrip. The conception of such devices goes through a good conceptual and experimental understanding of the waveguide technology. The approach in this document consists of using coplanar waveguide while minimizing its drawbacks, in order to avoid drilling in the substrate and ease the realization of the rectifying part by limiting the human interaction.

<div> <div> <div> <div> <p>This dissertation presents and develops a novel method of wireless power transfer that relies on electromagnetic coupling from open-wire transmission lines instead of tra- ditional methods. Wireless power transfer techniques are being rapidly pursued in re- search currently due to the potential utility of powering devices over the air instead of with direct electrical connections. Uses for such techniques include an array of ap- plications from consumer electronics, to medical devices, to cars and UAVs. While con- ventional wireless power transfer techniques exist, it is shown here that open-wire trans- mission line methods present distinct advantages for certain applications. In particular, wireless power transfer using Goubau and twin-lead line architectures will be conceptual- ized and investigated in terms of their theory, design, and efficiency performance. Fur- ther, a circuit model theory will be developed in this work to provide a generalized for- mulation for open-wire-line wireless power transfer analysis. Additionally, receiver de- sign techniques will be outlined and geometries based on metamaterial principles will be pursued in order to achieve receiver miniaturization and access the applications this af- fords. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

This dissertation is particularly focused on a novel approach of a wirelessly powered neuromodulation system for chronic patients. The inductively coupled transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) coils are designed through optimization to achieve maximum efficiency. A power management unit (PMU) consisting of a voltage rectifier, voltage regulator along with a stimulation circuitry is also designed to provide pulse stimulation to genetically modified neurons. For continuous health monitoring purposes, the response from the brain due to stimulation needs to be recorded and transmitted wirelessly outside the brain for analysis. A low-power high-data duty-cycled impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transmitter is designed and implemented using the standard CMOS process. Another focus of this dissertation is the design of a reverse electrowetting-on-dielectric (REWOD) based energy harvesting circuit for wearable sensor applications which is capable of generating a very low-frequency signal from motion activity such a walking, running, jogging, etc. A commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) based and on-chip based energy harvesting circuit is designed for very low-frequency signals. The experimental results show promising progress towards the advancement in the wirelessly powered neuromodulation system and building the self-powered wearable sensor.

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No / An investigation into the wavelet packet transform (WPT) modulation scheme for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) band-limited systems is presented. The implementation involves using the WPT as the base multiplexing technology at baseband, instead of the traditional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) common in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems. An investigation for a WPT-MIMO multicarrier system, using the Alamouti diversity technique, is presented. Results are consistent with those in the original Alamouti work. The scheme is then implemented for WPT-MIMO and FFTMIMO cases with extended receiver diversity, namely 2 ×Nr MIMO systems, where Nr is the number of receiver elements. It is found that the diversity gain decreases with increasing receiver diversity and that WPT-MIMO systems can be more advantageous than FFT-based MIMO-OFDM systems.