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Dialogue Preview Sessions

High-Frequency Magnetics

D09.4 - A High Frequency Coupled Inductor with Distributed Air Gap for High Power DC-DC Converters

Monday, March 17, 2025
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET
Location: Level Four, Sidney J. Marcus Auditorium Foyer
In coupled inductor designs, minimizing AC resistance and achieving an optimal coupling coefficient are crucial for the performance of high frequency, high power DC-DC converters. The location and length of air gaps not only influence the loss profile but also affect the coupling coefficient, directly impacting the system’s performance. This article is focused on a coupled inductor design using custom planar ferrite blocks and distributed air gaps with 3D printed bobbins for mechanical stability. The proposed design achieves over 30% reduction in AC losses by reducing fringing effects and offers the flexibility to adjust the coupling coefficient, while ensuring a cost-effective and repeatable assembly process. System level advantages of the proposed method are verified using 2D FEM simulations. Finally, experimental results for a two-phase interleaved boost converter application have been presented in this paper to validate the effectiveness of the proposed inductor design.