An E-Core Based Integrated Coupled Inductor for Interleaved Boost Converter

Abstract

Interleaving in a boost converter is beneficial for lowering input and output current ripples through ripple cancellation due to phase-shift between channel currents. However, interleaving does not affect the channel current ripple. The channel current comprises circulating Differential Mode (DM) current and Common Mode (CM) boost current, whose ripples constitute the total channel current ripple. Inverse coupling between channel inductors effectively lowers channel current ripple while maintaining the same input and output current ripples. However, with a single inverse coupled inductor, its leakage inductance, which serves as a boost inductor, depends on the winding arrangement and is challenging to balance in both channels. To overcome this, the inverse coupled inductor can be implemented as a cascade of inverse (DM inductance) and direct (CM inductance) coupled inductors. The DM and CM currents and their ripples then depend on CM and DM inductances, respectively. Nonetheless, this approach results in increased size and count of magnetic cores. In this paper, an Integrated Magnetic Structure (IMS), based on a gapped EE-core, is proposed that combines both CM and DM inductances in a single core. The CM and DM inductances are independent and depend on separate winding turns. A reluctance model is derived, and a design procedure is developed where core parameters are expressed in terms of converter parameters. Finally, the proposed IMS concept is validated through a 300 W, 100 V to 168 V prototype, switching at 70 kHz.