Conception of High-Frequency Power Planar Transformer Prototypes Based on FabLab Platform
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. FabLab
3. Technological Considerations for the High-Frequency (HF) Planar Transformer Prototype
3.1. Conceiving Planar Transformer: Printed Circuit Board (PCB) vs. Copper Foil
- Copper track thicknesses are not limited. Bigger conductors can be selected in order to limit or at least reduce complex paralleling layers with respect to skin depth that is problematic. Moreover, primary and secondary thicknesses can easily be set to different values.
- Distance between layers can also be set to different values, stacking insulated layers. Insulation material can also be chosen differently according to layers.
- Leakage values can be increased by spacing primary and secondary windings or by introducing ferrite polymer composite (FPC) material between layers, like C350 for example [31].
3.2. Transformer Prototype Specifications
3.3. Transformer Design and Description
4. Prototype Achievement in FabLab Environment
4.1. Manufacturing Process Overview
4.2. Parts Production
- Copper windings: after their shape design, primary and secondary winding copper tracks are carved using a computer numerical control (CNC) machine Stepcraft 420 CK [42]. Figure 5 shows the milling process for two primary layers. During this process, lubricant is sprayed regularly. This provides two benefits: the drill run cooler and copper filings do not hang up. As a consequence, the drill’s lifetime is extended. Then, endpoints of copper tracks are tined to ease connections between layers. Finally, winding layers are ready for assembling. One can note that all the secondary tracks are identical due to the parallel winding. On the opposite, primary layers are different in order to make possible series connections between the layers.
- Kapton insulation: insulation between layers is made with Kapton film. Elementary 75 µm Kapton layers are then cut using the laser cutting machine Trotec Speedy 400 [43] to consider magnetic core and central leg size. Distances between winding layers will be set adding more or less of these elementary layers.
- Add-ons: in order to assemble the transformer prototype, some supplementary elements have to be developed. Firstly, plexiglass clamps and secondary winding centering pins have to be cut with the laser cutting machine. All these elements are made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material. Secondly, clips and central leg shim are printed in 3-D [44]. They are made of polylactic acid (PLA) material. Clips are used for maintaining both magnetic core parts together while the central leg shim is used for centering and spacing primary winding from the central core leg.
4.3. Assembly Operations
- Step 1: The plinth, including bottom clamps and centering pins is set around the E-part core.
- Step 2: Kapton insulated layers are added. Insulating thickness is adjusted adding more or less elementary layers.
- Step 3: First secondary layer is positioned using centering pins.
- Step 4: Kapton layers are added.
- Step 5: First primary winding is added. As can be seen in Figure 6, primary pins are located on the opposite side of the secondary winding. The biggest one corresponds to the winding connecting pin, while the smallest one, located close to the ferrite core, is used for connecting this layer to the next one. The primary winding’s centering is ensured by the central leg shim that locks its positioning.
- Step 6: Stacking takes place, interleaving insulating layers, secondary winding layers and primary layers, respecting the layout introduced in Figure 3a. During this step, primary winding layers have to be soldered for setting the 20 turns of the winding.
- Step 7: When the last secondary layer is added, the stacking is almost over. Some insulated layers are inserted before the magnetic core to be closed with the ferrite PLT core part. The air gap is tuned adding some Kapton between E and PLT core parts. Then, the upper side of the plexiglass clamps is screwed to the bottom one to fix layers’ stack. Clips are tightened around the magnetic core while the plinth with centering pins is removed.
5. Prototype Validation: Characterization and Tests
5.1. Small Signal Characterization Based on Impedance Measurements
5.2. Thermal Characterization with Open and Short Circuit Power Measurements
5.2.1. Open Circuit Test
5.2.2. Short-Circuit Test
5.2.3. Load Tests
5.3. Comments on Measurements and Process
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Electrical Parameter | Value |
---|---|
Nominal Power | Pnom = 2 kW |
Primary voltage (rms) | Vp = 400 V |
Switching frequency | fs = 100 kHz |
Transformer ratio | η = 0.05 |
Magnetizing inductance | Lm = 0.5 mH |
Parameter | Symbol | Unit | Experimental Value | Theoretical Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Transformer ratio | ηps | 0.05 | 0.05 | |
Magnetizing inductance | Lm | mH | 0.56 | 0.53 |
Leakage inductance (low frequency) | Llk | µH | 16 | 4.45 |
Primary DC resistance | Rp | mΩ | 111.8 | 105.6 |
Secondary DC resistance | Rs | mΩ | 0.198 | 0.22 |
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Thomy, S.; Margueron, X.; Ngoua Teu Magambo, J.-S.; Bakri, R.; Le Moigne, P. Conception of High-Frequency Power Planar Transformer Prototypes Based on FabLab Platform. Electricity 2022, 3, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/electricity3010001
Thomy S, Margueron X, Ngoua Teu Magambo J-S, Bakri R, Le Moigne P. Conception of High-Frequency Power Planar Transformer Prototypes Based on FabLab Platform. Electricity. 2022; 3(1):1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/electricity3010001
Chicago/Turabian StyleThomy, Simon, Xavier Margueron, Jean-Sylvio Ngoua Teu Magambo, Reda Bakri, and Philippe Le Moigne. 2022. "Conception of High-Frequency Power Planar Transformer Prototypes Based on FabLab Platform" Electricity 3, no. 1: 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/electricity3010001