Circuit-Based Modeling and Experimental Parameter Identification of Tesla Coils

This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a lumped-element equivalent electrical model for a Tesla coil intended for medical sonodiathermy applications. Sonodiathermy is a multi-modal therapeutic technology that combines mechanical, electromagnetic, and chemical energy forms to achieve controlled thermal and non-thermal effects in biological tissues. Within this framework, the Tesla coil offers a promising architecture for the radio frequency subsystem, enabling efficient contactless energy transfer through strong highfrequency electric fields. Despite its potential, Tesla coil design methodologies for biomedical use remain largely empirical. To address this gap, this work focuses on an important design enabler: modeling the behavior of a Tesla coil. Specifically, a simple model derived from circuit theory has been identified and validated through an experimental characterization of the impedance of the considered Tesla coil as the frequency varies. The resulting model faithfully reproduces the dominant behavior of the considered device, while the study of higher-order effects will be the subject of future investigations.