Development of Multi-Domain Design Tool for Medium Voltage High Frequency Power Transformers

Medium voltage high frequency (MVHF)transformers with high power density are required by emerging medium voltage DC systems such as PV generation, data centers, etc. However, design tools for MVHF transformers are with limited functions and low accuracy, which makes the optimal design hard to achieve in all electrical, magnetic and thermal domains. This paper proposed a new multi-domain design tool for MVHF transformers. It includes three main parts: I/O interface, dataset of materials and structures, and performance estimator. This tool provides a clear and convenient interface and can complete the complicate optimization process automatically. Compared with existing design methods, this design tool is more comprehensive in both optimization methodologies and transformer parameters which can be optimized. The tool also realized the combination with circuit simulation software such as MATLAB/Simulink. In addition, an improved method to calculate transformer temperature rise based on thermal network method is used. The feasibility and accuracy of this design tool are verified through an optimization process of a power transformer in a typical DAB converter.