Theoretical Investigation of Thermal Behavior of Inductors for Power Electronic Applications

Abstract

Inductors are essential electrical components in power electronic systems for their energy storage and filtering capability. Although the thermal behavior of inductors is usually neglected, its application in nonlinear regime exploiting the quasi-saturation significantly influences performance and behavior of the power electronic system. This approach is getting a good popularity in modern converters for applications such as electric vehicles applications. This paper presents a theoretical investigation into the thermal characteristics of inductors used in power electronics including the nonlinear characteristics for high-current values. By integrating both electrical and thermal modeling approaches, the authors aim to provide insights into the design considerations necessary for optimal thermal management. The study includes analytical methods to evaluate temperature distributions and identify critical factors affecting the thermal performance of the electrical components.