Experimental Demonstration of an Electrodynamic Transformer

This paper explores a passive, two-port electromechanical device that employs electrodynamic transduction to yield transformer-like electrical behavior. The device-coined an “electrodynamic transformer” (ET)-comprises two coils that are coupled by their electrodynamic interaction with a strong, static magnet field, supplied by permanent magnets. A prototype structure is built and tested to explore the concept. Operating at 22 Hz, the proof-of-concept device provides a peak open-circuit voltage gain of 12, and a peak efficiency of 39%. The voltage gain is also electrically tunable within the range of ±5%.