Multiphase DC/DC Converter PCB Layout for Compact High-Current Power
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional DC/DC converters occupy large areas due to the size of inductors and power modules, which limits their compactness and efficiency, especially in applications with high current requirements.
Innovation Solution
The power source device features N inductors and power modules mounted on both sides of a printed circuit board, with inductor chips connected in parallel to reduce their size and area, and power modules distributed on a sub-mounting surface to optimize layout and cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If inductors and power modules are mounted on the same mounting surface, then the device structure is simple, but the occupied area is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by mounting inductors on both the main mounting surface and the sub-mounting surface of the printed circuit board. This utilizes the third dimension (vertical stacking) to reduce the footprint area occupied by inductors while maintaining all necessary electrical connections through vias and conductive structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting surface is segmented into a main mounting surface and a sub-mounting surface. Power modules are mounted on the main surface while inductors are distributed across both surfaces, dividing the component placement into distinct zones that optimize both area utilization and electrical performance.
2Area of stationary object
If inductor chips are mounted on both main and sub-mounting surfaces, then the area is reduced, but the wiring complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple inductor chips mounted on different surfaces are electrically connected in parallel by merging their terminals through conductive vias and traces. This combining approach reduces the overall inductance value while maintaining compact sizing, and the shared electrical connections simplify the wiring architecture despite the distributed physical layout.
Data Source
AI summary
A DC/DC converter includes N inductors and N power modules which correspond to N phases. The N inductors each include a plurality of inductor chips that are electrically connected in parallel to each other. The plurality of inductor chips are mounted separately on a main mounting surface and a sub-mounting surface of a printed circuit board. The sub-mounting surface is opposite to the main mounting surface.