Inductor Encapsulation-Based Thermal Management Enabling Increased Power Density

Abstract

Inductors occupy significant volume in dc-dc converters where power density is an important figure of merit. This research work addresses an improved design of a power-dense nanocrystalline-based inductor employing potting materials with high thermal conductivity. Contrary to traditional inductor design methods which require larger volumes to accommodate for temperature rise limits, this work presents an analytical framework to decrease the inductor volume through encapsulation. Particularly, it analyzes the effectiveness of employing a hybrid potting material, through experimental investigation of various filler compositions as compared to the classical silicone gel-based materials. Experimental evidence verifying the theoretically designed method is presented in this work.