Optimal design and tradeoffs analysis for planar transformer in high power DC-DC converters

A planar magnetic is a low profile transformer or inductor utilizing planar windings instead of the traditional windings made of Cu-wires. In this paper, the important factors for planar transformer design including winding loss, core loss, leakage inductance and stray capacitance have been investigated individually. The tradeoffs among these factors have to be analyzed in order to achieve optimal parameters. Combined with a certain application, four typical winding arrangements have been compared to illustrate each their advantages and disadvantages. An improved interleaving structure with optimal behaviors is proposed, which constructs the top layer paralleling with the bottom layer and then in series with the other turns of the primary so that a lower magneto motive force (MMF) ratio m can be obtained as well as minimized AC resistance, leakage inductance and even stray capacitance. A 1.2-kW full-bridge DC-DC converter prototype employing the improved planar transformer structure has been constructed, over 96% efficiency is achieved and a 2.7% improvement compared to the non-interleaving structure is obtained.