Comparative analysis of inductor concepts for high peak load low duty cycle operation

In this work a compact-model-based inductor design procedure is presented. The losses, temperatures, and the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an inductor are expressed analytically. All geometric dependencies are summarized in a set of parameters which are calculated using finite element analysis (FEA). Therefore the model does not depend on the actual inductor geometry, instead it only relies on a generalized set of parameters which contain all geometric information. Different inductor geometries only result in different values of parameters. The dynamic thermal model is verified using time dependent FEA, the high frequency winding loss model is verified by measurements. The inductor model is then used to study the effect of changes in inductor geometry on the performance of the device. It is shown that for applications requiring high peak but low average load substantial cost reductions are achieved if the inductor's geometry is optimized and the right inductor topology is selected.