PCB Winding Structures for Reducing Parasitic Losses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric motors and generators face issues with high current density leading to unwanted heat, mechanical failure, and reduced efficiency due to parasitic and eddy currents, which are not effectively addressed by existing strategies in printed circuit board designs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a planar composite structure with radially extending conductive traces and specific interconnect designs on printed circuit boards, characterized by a center origin point and periphery, reduces effective resistance and associated losses by minimizing current density concentration and parasitic effects through optimized corner equations and slit-like elongated regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high current density is used in PCB windings, then power output and energy conversion efficiency are improved, but unwanted heat generation and parasitic eddy currents increase causing mechanical failure and reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The PCB winding structure is segmented into multiple isolated conductive regions separated by non-conductive material. This segmentation breaks up continuous current paths that would otherwise generate parasitic eddy currents, while still maintaining sufficient current density in each segment for effective power conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the PCB winding structure are given different electrical properties - some areas have high conductivity for current flow, while adjacent areas have low conductivity (non-conductive material) to block parasitic currents. This local differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of power output and loss reduction.
2Productivity
If high current density flow is used to increase power output, then efficiency improves, but high temperature gradients cause structural damage such as delamination and localized failure
Solution Approach 1:
The high current density is confined to segmented conductive regions rather than spreading throughout the entire PCB structure. This localization prevents excessive heat accumulation and temperature gradients that would cause delamination and structural failure, while maintaining high efficiency in the active winding regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Non-conductive material acts as an intermediary between adjacent conductive regions, providing thermal and electrical isolation. This intermediary prevents heat transfer between high-current regions that would create damaging temperature gradients, while still allowing the structure to function as an integrated winding system.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional PCB connection strategies are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but current density concentration and parasitic effects are not addressed leading to increased losses
Solution Approach 1:
The winding structure merges multiple conductive traces and connections into an integrated PCB-based winding system with optimized current paths. This integration maintains manufacturing simplicity while reducing current density concentration and associated resistive losses through the optimized geometry and material distribution.
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 approach results in a measurable reduction in loss mechanisms as frequency increases, enhancing the efficiency and power output of energy conversion devices, particularly in frequency ranges relevant to electric motors and generators.
Implementation Method 1
unwanted heat due to parasitic or eddy currents
Implementation Method 2
generation of unwanted heat due to parasitic or eddy currents
Implementation Method 3
parasitic and eddy currents in physically nearby regions of the electric circuits
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to printed circuit board motors and specifically to printed circuit boards used in motors and generators. Windings formed from copper on printed circuit boards have been used for purposes of forming antennas, inductors, transformers, and stators that can be incorporated in permanent magnet brushless DC (permanent magnet synchronous) machines. For energy conversion devices using modern permanent magnet materials and PCB stators, the magnetic field is not strongly confined by magnetically susceptible materials. Thus, the interaction between fields from adjacent turns in a winding, and/or windings on adjacent layers (for a multilayer configuration) may be significant. The structures disclosed hereinafter reduce the effective resistance in the windings, and therefore reduce the associated losses to achieve a reduced current density in portions of the rotating energy conversion devices. The effect of the disclosed structures is a measurable reduction in loss mechanisms as a function increasing frequency, compared to the currently available devices. These effects are significant in frequency ranges important to energy conversion processes as well as typical control strategies, for example, pulse-width modulation.