NanoMacs: Nanocrystalline Magnetics for Efficient Power Converters

Partner Call open until: August 22, 2024

Project Start: September 2024

The project aims to show how filter elements must be designed to ensure the suppression of the entire interference frequency spectrum in each individual component. In the design, the properties for rejecting the switching frequent ripple and the EMC-relevant frequencies are to be optimized in a combined form. These objectives are divided into the following work packages: 

• Design of the magnetic components for the selected topologies: Based on the selected topologies, the filter circuits or resonant circuits are designed for at least two different magnetic materials in each case. The converters are comprehensively modeled in order to analyze them functionally at different operation points and with regard to the expected EMC properties. Detailed filter and resonant circuit concepts are expected as a result, which will serve as the basis for subsequent optimization.
• 3D-FEM based optimization and board design (for filter and resonant circuit): In a second phase of the project, the magnetic components will be optimized using 3D-FEM simulations. This includes the minimization of losses (in the core and in the windings) as well as the increase of bandwidth regarding the suppression of conducted and radiated emission. Both aspects serve as the main criteria for the comparative evaluation of the different magnetic materials. This analysis will be carried out at the level of the overall system (power stack, DC-link and output filter).
• Evaluation using SiC converter test environment: SAL disposes of generic SiC power stacks developed in previous projects. They will be used for the test setup to evaluate the magnet components in practice. Thanks to the flexible setting of pulse patterns and switching frequencies (up to 500 kHz) of these stacks, tests can also be carried out in borderline areas. A particular challenge in the evaluation will be the metrological allocation of the losses to the individual components. Due to the high switching frequencies and the high dV/dt values, the existing modern power analyzers will reach their limits.     

• Comprehensive simulation models for different power converter topologies 
• Simulation-supported design of different filter elements
• Evaluation of the simulation models by comparison with the measurement results  
• Clear insight into the advantages and disadvantages of filter elements with different magnetic materials in relation to the overall converter system