Simulation And Optimization Design Of Planar Transformer Based On ISIGHT Software Integration

With the development of science technology, the current development of the switching power supply tends to be miniaturization, high efficiency, and light-weight. However, the size, efficiency, weight of conventional power transformers restrict the development of the power supply seriously. For conventional power transformer, the high frequency effect is very significant when the frequency rises to 100 KHz, it mainly shows in the skin effect and proximity effect, thus the loss of the transformer is increased, and efficiency is significantly decreased. In order to avoid these problems, it can be solved by the windings made of copper foil or windings made of PCBs with a magnetic core planar transformer. Compared with the conventional transformer, the planar transformer has many advantages, such as low level form, little affected by the high frequency effect, good heat dissipation, high power density, high efficiency and frequency of usage. It especially applies for high power density, high frequency switching power supply.Since IBM Corporation promoted the planar transformer in the 1980 s, planar transformers have developed gradually. However, when the frequency of switching power supply is higher and higher, the skin effect and proximity effect show their impact on planar transformer to a certain extent, resulting the phenomenon of leakage inductance and stray capacitance increased. And it will generate spike voltage which affects the safe operation of the switching power supply, causing damages to the switching power supply, so the impact of parasitic parameters of switching power supplies must be considered when people design the planar transformer.This article focuses on the detailed analysis of parasitic parameters of the planar transformer to identify the design variations, and then use iSIGHT software integration platform to integrate Maxwell 3D electromagnetic analysis software and Saber circuit simulation software. The simulation analysis can be done by the integration software, and according to it, the planar transformer optimized design can be concluded.The main contents of this article are:1) Through a variety of theory analysis of parasitic parameters of planar transformer, and then take the special structure and planar transformer winding method, and a combination of the impacts on harm to the switching power supply, proposed reasonable improvements to achieve the equivalent circuit which skin effect reduced,proximity effect and optimize the design.2) Through in-depth study of skin effect and proximity effect of the planar transformer, the author finds out there will be resonance between the two parasitic elements, and the high-voltage spikes will appear, endangering the safe operation of the switching power supply seriously, so a clear optimized direction for this planar transformer is to reduce voltage spikes result from the skin effect and proximity effect, and to determine the optimal design variations for the thickness of the insulating layer between the initial level.3) By using iSIGHT software integration platform to integrate Maxwell 3D electromagnetic analysis software and Saber circuit simulation software to provide the planar transformer iterative simulation; by changing the thickness of the insulation between primary and secondary windings, ??observed the values of peak voltage, when the value of voltage reaches the minimum, the most optimized design is obtained, and ultimately the purpose of optimizing the design is achieved.