Integrated Parallel Inductor Magnetic Core Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

In power converters, magnetic components occupy significant volume and contribute to losses, making it challenging to achieve high efficiency and power density, especially in applications with large currents where multiple parallel circuits are used to reduce ripples.

Innovation Solution

A power converter design that integrates multiple inductors in parallel with a magnetic core structure featuring windows where windings are coupled, allowing voltage phases of terminals within the same window to be substantially the same, reducing the need for independent magnetic core units and minimizing magnetic core losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the volume of magnetic components is increased to decrease magnetic induction strength, then material saturation is avoided and loss is reduced, but power density decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnetic core lossVSAvoidmagnetic component volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent magnetic core units into a single integrated magnetic core structure with multiple windows. Multiple inductors are wound on the same magnetic core instead of using separate magnetic cores, which consolidates the magnetic components and reduces overall volume while maintaining the necessary magnetic paths for each inductor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The magnetic core is segmented into multiple windows, where each window provides an independent magnetic path for a specific inductor. This segmentation allows each inductor to have its own dedicated magnetic flux path, preventing magnetic interference while sharing the common magnetic core structure, thus reducing total volume compared to independent magnetic cores.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If multiple independent magnetic core units are used for parallel inductors, then each inductor has independent magnetic path, but device complexity and volume increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent magnetic pathVSAvoidmagnetic core structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple magnetic core units are merged into a single integrated magnetic core with multiple windows. The magnetic core provides independent magnetic paths through its segmented window structure, eliminating the need for multiple separate magnetic core units and their associated mounting structures, thereby reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If multiple parallel circuit paths are used to decrease ripples, then current ripple is reduced, but the number of magnetic components and volume increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent rippleVSAvoidmagnetic component volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple inductors required for parallel circuit paths are merged onto a single magnetic core structure. This consolidation maintains the multiple parallel current paths needed for ripple reduction while eliminating the volume associated with multiple independent magnetic cores and their mounting structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The magnetic core is segmented into multiple windows, each providing an independent magnetic path for parallel inductor circuits. This segmentation enables multiple parallel circuit paths for ripple reduction while sharing a common magnetic core structure, thus reducing total volume compared to using separate magnetic cores for each inductor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design shrinks the size of the inductor module, reduces magnetic core losses, and maintains efficient power conversion by ensuring voltage phases of windings within the same window are synchronized, thereby enhancing power density and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

A number of the windings corresponds to a number of the inductors. The magnetic core structure includes a plurality of windows, wherein each window includes at least two windings coupled with each other.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

When a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value, voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic field: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentUS9653202B2Power converter and device integrating inductors in parallel of the same

Publication Date: 2017.05.16 DELTA ELECTRONICS INC(CN)

AI summary

A device is provided that integrates a plurality of inductors in parallel. The device includes a plurality of windings and a magnetic core structure. A number of the windings corresponds to a number of the inductors. The magnetic core structure includes a plurality of windows, wherein each window includes at least two windings coupled with each other. When a phase difference of the voltage phases is smaller than a predetermined value, voltage phases of two terminals of any two of the windings within the same window are substantially the same.