How does inductive charging work?

Recently on our blog we have devoted a lot of space to web chargers, especially those that offer multiple charging ports. Power supply of devices requires the use of many cables. An alternative way of supplying power, i.e. wireless charging, is becoming more and more popular. Today we will answer the question how it works.

A bit of history

We go back to the year 1820. After the stormy period of the Napoleonic wars, Europe finally has several years of peace. The Danish physicist and chemist Hans Christian Oersted notes during his lecture that the compass needle deflects under the influence of the current in the wire. In this way, he discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic influence. When Michael Faraday found out about it, he decided to turn magnetism into electricity at all costs. After 10 years of work, in 1831, he discovered a phenomenon that we know as electromagnetic induction.

What does this story have to do with wireless phone charging? Well, thanks to this phenomenon it was possible to develop inductive chargers. Of course, this is not the only application of electromagnetic induction – it is used, for example, to power pacemakers.

Induction charger – the principle of operation

A coiled wire is mounted in the charger, which forms a so-called transmitting coil. During operation of the device, the coil is subjected to alternating current, which creates an electromagnetic field around it. However, a second coil, called the receiving coil, is needed. Of course, it is in the device that we will charge. The magnetic field created causes a current to be induced in the receiving coil, which powers the battery.

Charging standard Qi

A great advantage of the inductive charging market is the uniform charging standard Qi. It is used by all major smartphone manufacturers. This avoids compatibility problems through different charging connectors.

This standard was created on the initiative of the Wireless Power Consortium founded in 2008, which included all major manufacturers – Apple, Samsung, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Asus and many others. As a result of the agreement, since 2010 we received charging models in Qi standard. The name comes from the Chinese word, which means energy flow and is pronounced “Chi”.

Which charger to choose?

There are many inductive chargers on the market. They differ mainly in power, i.e. the speed of power supply. In our offer we recommend the AirJuice charger by Green Cell. It supports charging of up to 15 W! Thanks to this, the charging speed is almost as fast as in the case of traditional charging.

Induction technology is undoubtedly the future of battery power, and its key feature is convenience – after all, all you have to do is put your phone on the charger. Check out also the induction powerbanks with QI charging available in the Battery Empire store.

Author: Michał Bródka