Magnetic and Winding Loss Estimation Using Harmonic Binning

Abstract

The current through the magnetics in a non-resonant topology is typically a composition of multiple frequencies and can be considered harmonic-rich. This is increasingly true in phase-shifted topologies where the current through the magnetic device is not strictly a sinusoidal wave. This paper follows the calculation of the transformer losses in a phase-shifted topology using the proposed harmonic binning approach. We will show that using the harmonic binning components of a triangular wave magnetic field signals allows us to use the Steinmetz equation in a fast and simulation-friendly way. First, a brief discussion on the theory behind winding and core loss is presented followed by a discussion of analytical transformer modeling. Then the harmonic binning method for winding and core loss is introduced. Lastly, FEA model results and experimental results for a transformer are presented. The proposed method is close to the FEA and experimental loss model results.