Analogue real time emulation for power converters

Power increase and complex topologies of power converters brought about the development of a real time emulator. Many of these type of simulations are based on numerical technologies. However a different approach based on analogue technologies, which by nature offer real time provisions, is presented in this paper. The real time analogue emulator (ARTE), comprises current conveyors, analogue operators and real switches. ARTE allows power converter simulation and it is used for the testing the dimensioning and the development of new power converter structures. Recent developments of this emulator offer the possibility to simulate isolated converters such as forward power supplies. This simulation is made possible by the addition of a transformer module which is able to simulate multi-winding transformers and take into account magnetic saturation phenomena.