Power Transformer Design Simplified—Really!

Focus:

This article aims to provide engineers who are non-magnetics specialists with a basic understanding of the power transformer so that they can better interface with specialists and not shy away from an ideal application of a transformer. Specifically, it explains how to reasonably predict the design of just about any power transformer by extrapolation from the known design of a 15-W, 60-Hz transformer. The techniques described allow one to predict the size and weight of power transformers operating at frequencies ranging from 50 Hz to 100 kHz and at output power levels ranging from 2 W to 10,000 W with an accuracy of ±20%. Without any diagrams, and using only simple math, the author explains the principles for scaling up the reference design including details relating to core and winding design, and works through a design example. Then the author uses some simple analogies to explains basic magnetics concepts and terms.

What you’ll learn:

• How to predict the size and weight of a power transformer design by extrapolating from a reference design
• How to design a power transformer using simple techniques

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Author & Publication:

Martin Kanner, KEMCO, Power Controls Div., Plainview, N.Y. , How2Power Today, Jan 15 2016

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