The design of magnetic couplers for inductive power transfer has probably become the major challenge for those who wish to enter this promising research field. The number of variables that determine physical dimensions of a coupler is typically too high to allow analytical (exact) solutions in practical time when realistic magnetic materials are to be included. Thus, this paper suggests and describes a series of algorithms based on the finite element method (FEM) able to convert basic inputs (target inductances, primary current, frequency, and mechanical restrictions) into a geometric solution that satisfies user-defined targets for uncompensated power, open-circuit voltage, and short-circuit current. Advantages of these algorithms when compared with other existing design methods are: simplicity in terms of structure at the same time that require minimum user intervention to complete a full design; do not rely in expensive finite element solvers; user does not require previous background in FEM formulation. Experimental results show that the proposed design method based on two-dimensional FEM has errors of <8% when compared with three-dimensional FEM and can perform iterations in seconds. It is expected that the proposed routines encourage and provide design insights for practitioners, enthusiasts, and non-specialized engineers.
