How To Optimize Turns For Maximum Inductance With Core Saturation

Focus:

Some inductor applications require a minimum inductance over the full current range of inductor operation. To maximize inductance, we can increase the number of turns, N. But this works only to a point because saturation also increases. If the saturation curves decrease faster than N2, then adding more turns decreases inductance. So in essence, finding the optimum number of turns (to achieve max inductance) means finding the maximum number of turns that can be wound on a core before inductance starts to decrease due to saturation. Therefore to solve for the optimal operating-point, we need an equation that models core saturation as explained in this article. This article also derives a formula for the optimal number of turns to achieve maximum inductance at a given operating current and for a given core, as well as some related design equations.

What you’ll learn:

• How to determine the optimal number of turns for maximizing inductance in an inductor at a given operating current and for a given core
• How to determine how much inductance will decrease for a given increase in current at a given number of turns and a given zero-current inductance
• How to model core saturation in inductors

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Author & Publication:

Dennis Feucht, Innovatia Laboratories, Cayo, Belize, How2Power Today, Apr 15 2019

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