Discussion on design optimization of inductor loss focused on copper loss and iron loss

Abstract

High-frequency switching of a power converter enables reduction of the volume of inductors. However, the temperature of the inductors becomes higher, because the thermal resistance of the inductor is increased. Therefore, accurate loss calculation of the inductor is one of the most important concerns for high-power-density converters. In this paper, first, a measuring method of both iron loss and copper loss of the inductor is proposed. Next, the overall loss of the inductor used for a buck-chopper circuit is examined by changing the cross-sectional area of the core materials. The results discussed in this paper provide valuable information for designing low-loss and small-volume inductors.