Comparison of different techniques to realise PFC boost inductor

Three techniques are compared for producing a PFC boost inductor operating in discontinuous conduction mode. In this application, fringing fields associated with high frequency current pulses cause problems of winding loss in the vicinity of an air-gap. For this reason, a planar inductor in which a lumped gap is replaced by a distributed air-gap material is described and investigated. The design is compared with a lumped air-gap planar design, and with a wire-wound design. Winding and core loss models presented are verified with measurements on prototype devices.