Allowable power analysis and comparison of high power density DC-DC converters with integrated magnetic components

Interleaved DC-DC converters with integrated magnetic components are popular as converters capable to achieve high efficiency with less of volume and mass. There are three methods for integrated magnetic components: loosely-coupled inductors, closed-coupled inductors and integrated-winding-coupled inductors. This paper presents a method to calculate the allowable power in various circuit topologies. It is useful for measuring the allowable power without magnetic saturation of an inductor based on its size. Following the analysis of allowable power for each coupled inductor, the allowable power of the integrated magnetic components is compared to that of the conventional interleaved converter. This comparison is realized under the same conditions. As a result, the interleaved converter with loosely-coupled and integrated winding coupled inductors were found to be effective for the downsizing of the magnetic components under continuous conduction mode operation. On the other hand, the interleaved converter with close-coupled inductors is effective for the downsizing of the magnetic components under critical conduction mode operation. This comparative data is discussed from both theoretical and experimental points of view.