Wireless energy transfer-based transceiver systems for power and/or high-data rate transmission through thick metal walls using sheet-like waveguides

The potential use of sheet-like waveguide-based wireless energy transfer systems for a two-way power and/or high-data rate transmission-reception through thick metal walls is investigated. The proposed system utilises the near-field evanescent wave concept to transmit energy and/or data. Compared with wireless energy transfer devices based on magnetic resonance coupling, the transmission efficiency of the investigated method is not affected by the shielding offered by metal sheets. For the investigation, a 150 × 150 mm² sheet-like waveguide transmitter and a cylindrical wave-cavity receiver were designed. The receiver achieved a transfer efficiency of -3.76 dB, while transmitting power through galvanised iron sheets. The prime objective of this investigation was to sustain the power and/or data transfer efficiency despite the variation of the obstructing metal wall thicknesses from 1.5 to 22.5 mm. The proposed system was designed to operate at 25 MHz, enabling 50 Mbit/s data transfer using a function generator.