Wireless Power Receiver Converter

There are a myriad of challenges developing reliable and long-lasting charging infrastructures for electronic devices on the Moon and Mars because of the extremely harsh environmental conditions. According to the 2024 NASA Phase I subtopic Z1.05 Lunar and Planetary Surface Power Management and Distribution, there is a current need for AC-DC converter systems to support robotic operations. Regolith accumulation presents enormous challenges in establishing reliable electrical interfaces with robotic operations conducted by In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) rovers and Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs) due to its strong insulating properties. Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology is a viable candidate that mitigates electrical interfacing challenges and can provide a long-term dependable solution. However, as these development advances, new challenges have been identified. Existing receiver converters for WPT applications currently have major thermal and operational challenges due to multiple stages being used (e.g., separate AC-DC and DC-DC stages) and the extremely wide input voltage ranges inherent to variable load conditions in WPT. In our Phase I development, we successfully designed, fabricated, and verified a Wireless Power Receiver Converter system that consolidates the rectification and regulation stage into a single module with wide input voltage range capability. The objective of the Phase II effort is to advance the Wireless Power Receiver Converter system to operate for extreme lunar environments from TRL-4 to TRL-6. Yank Technologies will further mature the technology with a path-to-flight approach while targeting a Specific Power of 4 kW/Kg and a Power Density 4 W/cm3. The technology proposed in this Phase II addresses NASA’s immediate need to improve the ISRU rover IPEX. In addition, similar to NASA’s AMPS project, Yank Technologies’ approach is to deliver a unit that is modular and compact which can be scaled for higher power applications.
Benefits: The primary NASA applications for Wireless Power Receiver Converters are critical electrical interface components that can be used for a range of lunar and planetary robotic vehicles, such as In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) rovers and Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs), as well as Resonant Connectors for umbilical and transmission line applications for establishing wireless power interfacing on the lunar surface. Wireless Power Receiver Converters are an essential component for providing reliable, long lasting electrical interfaces and can be utilized for a wide range of NASA mission programs, such as the Artemis program and Mars Exploration. The manufacturing industry is heavily transitioning towards industrial autonomy to implement tasks, such as transporting goods throughout the factory floor. Current wired power solutions can be unreliable due to accumulation of dust and fretting of conductive terminals, while state-of-the-art (SOA) inductive chargers struggle to operate for misalignment between the mobile robot and the charging station, often requiring human intervention and maintenance. If a worker needs to manually plug in their automated robot, then it diminishes the purpose of the robot being autonomous. By implementing the Wireless Power Converter System, Yank Technologies will provide a more robust and efficient end-to-end wireless power link that can operate for significant charging station misalignment and load variations to enable fully autonomous manufacturing tasks. Therefore, Wireless Power Receiver Converters is a dual use technology that is directly applicable to both commercial and government applications. Throughout the Phase II development, Yank Technologies will focus on commercializing Wireless Power Receiver Converters for the industrial automation market.