Design of Magnetic Flux Concentrator Plates Using SMC and Ferrite With Topology Optimization for WPT Systems in Industrial Forklifts

Wireless power transfer (WPT) is increasingly adopted in industrial applications. However, components such as the magnetic flux concentrator plates in ferrite are susceptible to challenges common in industrial environments, such as vibrations and shocks. Recent studies have investigated soft magnetic composites (SMCs) as alternatives to ferrite, taking advantage of their superior mechanical strength and machinability. Despite these advantages, the lower relative magnetic permeability of SMCs prevents them from fully replacing ferrite in WPT systems. To address this, a mixed strategy was adopted in this work, incorporating ferrite inserts into the SMC plate to leverage the benefits of both materials. This work employs topology optimization, specifically the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization approach, to optimize the distribution of ferrite and SMC in the plates of a WPT system for charging industrial electric forklifts. The proposed solution achieves a reduced ferrite volume while maintaining performance comparable to a full ferrite design, resulting in a lighter and more robust system.