DESIGN

HIGH-FREQUENCY POWER TRANSFORMER

Learn how to design a high-frequency power transformer using forward topology
DINESH KUMAR Fig. 1. When power switch M1 is turned on, current builds up in the primary winding (a-b, with a positive w.r.t. to b) and energy is stored. This energy is transferred to the secondary (e-f, with e positive w.r.t. to f). At the same time, since D2 is forwardbiased, load current flows to the load (RL) through the inductor (L). D3 is reverse-biased, hence no current flows through it. When MOSFET M1 is turned off, voltages in all the windings including the output inductor are reversed and D2 is reverse-biased. Since the inductor current cannot change instantaneously, diode D3 (called flywheel diode) conducts

ou learnt about the major advantages of a switch-mode power supply system (SMPS) and various topologies of power conversion in my article High-Frequency Power Transformer Design published in March 2004 issue of EFY. That article discussed about the design steps of flyback transformer. On recommendation of EFY readers, I am presenting here the transformer design using the forward topology.

Forward topology
The forward topology is commonly used in the power range of 50 to 500 watts. A forward converter is essentially the isolated version of a buck converter operating in the direct mode and the basic single-switch version (other versions like two-switch forward converter and push-pull converter) can be successfully operated over a wide power range. Due to the transformer, the forward topology can be used as either an up or a down converter, although the most common application is down conversion. A major advantage of the forward converter, particularly for low-outputvoltage applications, is that the highfrequency output ripple is limited by the choke connected in series with the output. Above 500W, the forward topology has some practical limitations of operation, which we will discuss in detail. Before jumping into the design steps of forward transformer, lets understand operation of the forward converter. Consider the circuit shown in
104 JULY 2006 ELECTRONICS FOR YOU

Fig. 1: Circuit diagram of forward converter

Fig. 2: Waveforms of primary current (Ip), switch voltage (V sw) and inductor current (I L )

WWW.EFYMAG.COM

DESIGN
TABLE I

Core Area Product

Core No. E5.3/2.7/2 E6.3/2.9/2 E8.8/4.1/2 E13/6/3 E13/6/6 E13/7/4 E16/8/5 E19/8/5 E19/8/9 E20/10/5 E20/10/6 E22/16/10 E25/10/6 E25/13/7 E25/13/11 E30/15/7 E31/13/9 E32/16/9 E34/14/9 E36/21/12 E41/17/12 E42/21/15 E42/21/20 E42/33/20 E47/20/16 E50/27/15 E55/28/21 E55/28/25 Ae (mm2) 2.50 3.30 5.00 10.10 20.20 12.40 20.10 22.60 41.30 31.20 32.00 86.00 37.00 52.00 78.40 60.00 83.20 83.00 80.70 126.00 149.00 178.00 233.00 236.00 234.00 225.00 353.00 420.00 Aw (mm2) 4.75 4.26 6.90 25.22 25.83 24.75 37.62 54.72 54.51 49.14 57.40 48.75 79.68 87.00 87.00 119.31 107.50 147.84 158.76 225.23 167.96 256.04 256.04 449.80 203.28 362.70 375.55 375.55 AP (mm4) 11.88 14.04 34.51 254.67 521.77 306.90 756.16 1236.67 2251.27 1533.17 1836.80 4192.50 2948.16 4524.00 6820.80 7158.60 8944.00 12,270.72 12,811.93 28,378.35 25,026.04 45,575.12 59,657.32 106,152.80 47,567.52 81,607.50 132,569.15 157,731.00

the load current. In this case, no current flows through the secondary winding. Note here that energy transfer from primary to secondary takes place during on time only. This is why this topology is called forward topology, whereas in the case of flyback topology energy transfer takes place during off time. To avoid saturation of any transformer or inductor, volt-seconds product (Vt) during on time must be equal to reverse volt-second product during off time. Now, consider V in volts were applied across the primary winding for on time Ton (when M1 is turned on) and current flows in the primary winding

of turns in the primary winding, N2 is the number of turns in the secondary winding and N3 is the number of turns in the tertiary winding. When M1 is on: Voltage induced in secondary winding
= N2 Vin N1 ...................... Eq. (2)

When M1 is off: Voltage across secondary winding

N2 = Vin N3 ...................... Eq. (3)

Many people think that the forward converter can be used below 50% duty cycle, but we will convince ourselves that it is possible to use the forward converter above 50% duty cycle, and we will see what are the issues that limit its use above 50% duty cycle. From Eq. (1), volt-second product required to reset the core
= Vin N1 Tr ...................... Eq. (4) N3

where Tr is the time required to reset the core. To avoid core saturation, the voltsecond product must be:
VinTon=Vin Tr = VinTon Vin N1 N3 N1 Tr N3 ...................... Eq. (5)

Terms used in the transformer design

B Ae = Flux in the core (weber) = Flux density (weber/m2) = Cross-section area of the core (m2) Aw = Total window area of the core (m2) Vin, min = Minimum DC input voltage (V) Vin, max = Maximum DC input voltage (V) = Number of turns in the primary Np winding = Number of turns in the secondary Ns winding = Cross-section of the primary ap conductor (mm2) = Cross-section of the secondary as conductor (mm2) fs = Operating frequency of the transformer (Hz) Iin,dc = Average input DC current (A) Iin, rms = rms input DC current (A) J = Current density (A/m2) = Voltage drop across output diode Vd = Transformer efficiency Dmax = Maximum duty cycle = Output power Po
WWW.EFYMAG.COM

from a to b. Volt-second product during on time =VinTon ................... Eq. (1) But when M1 is turned off, no current flows through transformer T1, so there is unbalancing of volt-second product, which may lead to saturation of the transformer and hence complete distraction of the transformer and may be of M1. To solve this saturation problem, middle winding or tertiary winding (c-d) with ultra-fast diode is used. The moment M1 is turned off, the voltages of tertiary winding (c-d) reverse (c point is positive w.r.t. d) and this induced voltage in tertiary winding is more than Vin, hence D1 starts conducting and balances volt-second product of the core. This is called demagnetisation or resetting of the core. You may be interested in knowing the voltage across the secondary windings. Assume that N1 is the number

If N1 = N3, we are forced to operate the transformer with less than 50% duty cycle because it needs re-setting time equal to on time. Now what if I am able to reduce the resetting time (Tr) to less than on time as shown in the waveform. In such a case, I can operate the transformer with more than 50% duty cycle. Lets see how it is possible. Assume that we have different numbers of turns in windings. To reduce T r value, I need to increase the N1 ratio.
N3 If Ton N1 =1.5, Tr= =0.66 Ton ......Eq. (6) N3 1.5 Ton Ton+0.66Ton

Maximum possible duty cycle,

Dmax= 10060% ....Eq. (7)

So limit to operate the transformer with more than 50% is the maximum
ELECTRONICS FOR YOU JULY 2006 105

DESIGN
TABLE II

Wire Selection
Wire gauge size 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 SWG diameter (mm) 3.25 2.95 2.64 2.34 2.03 1.83 1.63 1.42 1.22 1.02 0.92 0.81 0.71 0.61 0.56 0.51 0.46 0.41 0.38 0.35 0.31 0.29 0.27 0.25 0.23 0.20 0.18 0.17 0.15 SWG area (mm) 8.292 6.831 5.471 4.298 3.235 2.629 2.086 1.583 1.168 0.817 0.664 0.515 0.396 0.292 0.246 0.204 0.166 0.132 0.113 0.096 0.073 0.066 0.057 0.051 0.041 0.032 0.025 0.023 0.018

switch voltage. If we have selected a MOSFET with a high voltage rating, we can use it with a higher duty cycle also. Leakage induction of the windings also prevents us to use the transformer with more than 50%. Assuming that you have understood the forward transformer theory very well, lets start design of the magnetics, i.e., the transformer.

Npap=AwKw

Primary ampere-turns,
NpIin,rms=JAwKw AwKwJ Iin,rms AwKwJVin,min Po Dmax Po Dmax ...Eq. (12) .Eq. (11)

Np=

Ae =

Vin,minDmax

Transformer core area product

From Faradays law of induction:
V.Ton=N.Ae.B Ae= V.Ton N.B Dmax ..................Eq. (8)

AwKwjVin,minBs

Area product of core (AP)

=Ae.Aw= Po(Dmax)
3 2

KwJBs

.....Eq. (13)

Winding design
Np> Vin,minDmax AeBs

Putting Ton= Ae =

s Vin,minDmax NpBs

Turns ratio (N)

= Np Ns = (Vin,minVds,sat)Dmax Vo+Vd

Average input DC current,

Iin,dc= Pin Vin,min = Po Vin,min .....Eq. (9)

Ns=

Np N

Input rms current,

Iin, rms=Iin, dc Dmax = Po Dmax Vin,min

Current density,
J= Iin, rms Iin, rms = Jap ap

Vds,sat is the MOSFET turn-on voltage drop, which is different for different MOSFETs and depends on Rds,on and current flowing through to the MOSFET.
The author is a principal engineer (electronics) at Honeywell Technology Solutions Lab, Bangalore

106 JULY 2006 ELECTRONICS FOR YOU

WWW.EFYMAG.COM