Vertical PCB Power Delivery With Coupled Inductor Ripple Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power converters for microprocessors face challenges in reducing current ripple while maintaining fast transient performance, leading to high losses and increased requirements for magnetic materials at high frequencies.
Innovation Solution
A power converter circuit utilizing a multiphase coupled inductor structure with vertically stacked printed circuit boards, where the inductor delivers current vertically between the boards, reducing ripple current and maintaining fast transient performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a small inductor value is used to enable fast current ramping, then transient response speed is improved, but current ripple increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple inductor windings into a single coupled inductor structure where magnetic cores couple the windings. This allows the inductors to work together to cancel ripple currents while maintaining fast transient response, resolving the contradiction between small inductor value (fast response) and current ripple reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful ripple current into a beneficial effect by using coupled inductors where the ripple from one winding induces a counteracting current in coupled windings through magnetic coupling. The harmful ripple is transformed into a mechanism for ripple cancellation, improving both transient response and reducing current ripple.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If high switching frequency is used to reduce current ripple, then current ripple is reduced, but switching losses and gate-drive losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from increasing switching frequency to using coupled inductor windings with specific coupling coefficients. By adjusting the coupling parameter k and the number of windings, the system achieves ripple reduction through magnetic coupling rather than high-frequency switching, thereby avoiding increased switching losses.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If multiphase interleaved design is used to achieve ripple current cancellation, then current ripple is reduced, but peak current requirements and losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple inductor windings into a single coupled inductor structure where the windings share a common magnetic core. This merging allows ripple cancellation while the windings share the current burden, reducing peak current requirements and conduction losses compared to separate multiphase inductors.
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
The solution achieves reduced current ripple and improved efficiency by minimizing magnetic core and output capacitor size, while maintaining fast transient response.
Implementation Method 1
The multiphase coupled inductor is configured to deliver current vertically from the bottom PCB to the top PCB
Implementation Method 2
A power converter circuit utilizing a multiphase coupled inductor structure with vertically stacked printed circuit boards, where the inductor delivers current vertically between the boards, reducing ripple current
Data Source
AI summary
According to various embodiments, a power converter circuit is disclosed. The power converter circuit includes at least two vertically stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs) comprising a top PCB and a bottom PCB. The power converter circuit further includes at least one multiphase coupled inductor placed between the top PCB and the bottom PCB. The top PCB is coupled to the bottom PCB via at least one conductive winding of the multiphase coupled inductor. The power converter circuit further includes at least one circuit module placed above the top PCB and at least one power source placed below the bottom PCB. The multiphase coupled inductor is configured to deliver current vertically from the bottom PCB to the top PCB.