Design, Characterisation and Implementation of PCB Based 3-Φ Coupled Inductors for High Power Density Interleaved DC-DC Converter

Abstract:
This paper presents the design and the evaluation of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) based 3-phases coupled inductors. The prototype is meant to be implemented in an interleaved buck converter (IBC). The main objective is to increase the power density of the magnetic components compared to a first design, being un-coupled inductors. The results of the optimisation procedure combining Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and analytical approach are discussed. This paper also presents the practical implementation with the corresponding PCB stack-up. Finally, the experimental characterisations are presented, demonstrating the relevancy of magnetically coupled devices for reaching high power density level.