PE Power converter design software

CONCEPT TO REALITY...FASTER
The knowledge of power-converter design experts on your desktopPExprt is easy-to-
use, graphical software that produces optimal magnetic component designs at the touch
of a button. PExprt eliminates hurdles and gets you from concept to reality fast.

Overview

The design of power converters, such
as transformers and inductors, directly
influences the size, performance, and
cost of electronic systems found in
computers, automobiles, personal
communication devices, aircraft, and
other technologies. Traditionally,
companies have relied on build-test
methodologies and experience to
design power converters. However,
with a multitude of choices to make, it
is impossible for designers to consider
all possible variations. This limitation
decreases the chances of obtaining an
optimum designone that delivers
better performance, gains valuable
space, and/or increases profit margin.
PExprt changes all of that.
PExprt aids the initial design process
and calculates eddy-current effects and
gap loss. The software also automatically
generates a behavioral model from the
design for export to SIMPLORER for
system design validation.

Step One: Design

PExprt allows users to quickly identify a
series of designs that satisfy the product
specification. Users simply enter the
waveform or electrical parameters of the
power converter and select the cores,
wires, and materials from a database
constructed from published datasheet
information from all major vendors.
PExprt does the rest.
PExprt quickly calculates all possible
combinations of core size, wire size, and
the fringing energy caused by the
effect of the gap. Tedious, error-prone
hand calculations, cumbersome
spreadsheets, and costly build-test
methods are no longer required.
The results are a series of designs
that satisfy the specification. These
results can be easily sorted in terms
of power loss, temperature rise, gap
length, volume, height, and footprint. PExprt allows easy input of converter
Each PExprt-generated design also or waveform information.

core material; the software calculates includes performance calculations

core losses using the Steinmetz model.
The AC winding losses are evaluated
with all harmonic contents of the
current waveform by means of Dowell
equations, including FFT decomposition.
This methodology also accounts for
and constructive results. Alternatively,
PExprt is ideal for evaluating the
possibility of extending an existing
design to meet a new specification,
avoiding a complete redesign.
PExprt allows engineers to consider
more design choices than ever before
and is the first step in achieving an
optimal power-converter design.
 Step Two: Optimize
PExprt helps designers refine and
optimize the initial design. This step is
particularly useful for exploring critical
design parameters, such as the influence
of the fringing flux on resistance in
designs containing an air gap or the effect
of the winding position in the window.
Once the initial design is selected,
electromagnetic and signal analysis can
be performed. From here, designers can
explore alternative winding strategies to
reduce parasitics (leakage inductance,
AC resistance, and capacitances),
quantify the effect of the manufacturing
Step Three: Verify
PExprt allows for winding strategy
optimization, taking into account
frequency and geometrical effects.
To examine the impact of the design on
the circuit (voltage spikes, efficiency,
ringing), PExprt automatically creates
a behavioral model for use within system
and material tolerances, and perform
sensitivity analysis.
Electromagnetic and electrostatic
behavior of the design, including the
effects of varying frequency, geometry,
and materials, are calculated using
embedded finite-element analysis
(FEA) solvers. A special double-2D
process is used to accommodate 3D
structures, such as toroid designs. The
calculations of magnetic and electric
fields for all frequencies are performed
entirely in the background. The user
simulation tools. Using the
PExprt-generated behavioral
model within SIMPLORER ,
or other circuit simulators,
adds accuracy to the
system design and allows
the converter to be
validated under different
working conditions.
Engineers can study the
waveforms, impedances,
or gain of the circuit and
observe current spikes
on semiconductors using time-domain
analysis. Alternatively, in the frequency
domain, engineers can study the AC
resistance on the wire and the leakage
PExprt allows you to sort and compare designs based
on several parameters.
does not need to learn or interact with the
FEA process.
inductance as a function of frequency.
SIMPLORER (refer to the SIMPLORER
product sheet for more information)
is uniquely capable of handling the
high-switching frequencies of power-
electronic converters. Additionally,
SIMPLORERs multidomain approach
enables engineers to easily include
controls based on block diagrams
or state machines. State-of-the-
art microcontrollers also can be
included using SIMPLORERs C/
C++ programming interface. Using
PExprt with SIMPLORER delivers a
comprehensive power-converter system
design solution.
PExprt incl u d e s t h e c a p a b i l i t i e s listed below.
Please consu l t y o u r l o c a l s a l e s r e presentative ANSOFT OFFICES
for pricing an d i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h i s and on other
Corporate Headquarters
Ansoft produ c t s .
4 Station Square
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1119
Designs
Inductors, multi-winding transformers, coupled inductors, and
USA
flyback components tel: +1.412.261.3200
Input data based on waveforms (sinusoidal and square voltage) or fax: +1.412.471.9427
converter specifications (boost, buck, buck-boost, forward, half-bridge, e-mail: info@ansoft.com
full-bridge, push-pull, and flyback converters are considered) www.ansoft.com
Considers all possible combinations of Core Shape/Core Size/Wire
Gauge/Core Material to optimize the number of turns for each
possible design
European Locations
France
Results
Germany
Winding DC and AC losses, considering skin and proximity effects Italy
Core losses, considering hysteresis and eddy-current losses United Kingdom
Flux density: maximum value and variation range
DC and AC resistance for each winding Asia/Pacific Locations
Irms currents
China
Embedded FEA modeling strategy, allowing the generation of accurate
FEA-based models without any interaction with the FEA solver
Japan
Complete model netlist for SIMPLORER , PSpice , and Saber Korea
Singapore
Reports Taiwan
Provides a set of possible designs that match the specifications,
allowing you to classify them accordingly to your specific design criteria
Report files with detailed design data, including manufacturing
information For a full listing of offices and
Actual scaled cross-section of each design, including core, winding
contact details, visit:
strategy, and air-gap representation
www.ansoft.com/contact.cfm

Libraries
Vendors: Ferroxcube , Epcos , AVX, Magnetics , Micrometals,
Steward , TDK
Core Shapes: POT, RM, EE, EI, EFD, ETD, UU, EP, PQ, toroidal
Conductors: Litz, solid, planar

Cover photo courtesy of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM).

PExprt, SIMPLORER, and Maxwell are trademarks of Ansoft Corporation. All other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
www.ansoft.com
PL26-0209
2002 Ansoft Corporation