Inductive Devices in Power Electronics

During the rapid developments in semiconductor technology, the role of inductive components as a limitation for further improvements became clear. The challenges involve the magnetization losses and unwanted eddy currents at higher switching frequencies, which in turn limit the reduction of device volumes. New materials and design approaches offer solutions. Furthermore, new topologies of power converters in connection with flexible digital controls and design of magnetic components offer ways to reduce the required component volume and increase the power density, which is especially important for mobile applications.

This overview for researchers and experts in industry and academia, as well as for device manufacturers, presents a summary of important new developments to tackle unwanted effects in inductive components and to reduce device volumes. It is compiled by specialists in materials, device design and application of magnetic devices in power electronics. The focus is on practical advice and application examples to help readers solve their problems.

Chapters cover soft ferrite materials, metallic magnetic and powdered magnetic materials, measurement of magnetic properties, magnetic material selection, modelling and software, permanent magnets, orthogonal magnetisation, multiple coupled phases, and integrated inductive components; further topics are high power medium frequency and solid-state transformers, high frequency magnetic components, EMI filtering, mode suppression, and ripple cancellation.

Peter Zacharias is professor emeritus for Electric Power Systems at the University of Kassel, Germany. Prior affiliations include the University of Magdeburg, the Institute for Solar Energy Technology (ISET) in Kassel and eupec/Infineon in Warstein, with responsibility for power electronic assemblies. In 2009, he founded the 'Competence Center for Decentralized Electrical Power Systems' (KDEE). His main interest is inductive components in power electronic converters. He was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award at EPE 2022.