2014 Fifth International Conference on Intelligent Systems, Modelling and Simulation

Effects of Varying Frequency over Parasitic Components in Planar Transformer

Mohamad Zhafran Zakariya, Muzamir Isa, Uda Hashim, Abdul Rahim Abdul Razak, Tijanni Adam and
Mohamen Wesam Al-Mufti

Institute of Nanoelectronic Engineering

Universiti Malaysia Perlis
Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia
zhafranzakariya@gmail.com
muzamir@unimap.edu.my
uda@unimap.edu.my
abdulrahim@unimap.edu.my
tijjaniadam@yahoo.com
mohamenw@gmail.com

Abstract—High frequency operating of planar transformer assignation of current density because it will lead to the
provides a very light weight and cheaper costing price selection of core. For some reasons, winding design of
compared to conventional wire-wounded transformer. planar transformer could be challenging trade off process.
Parasitic components such as winding capacitance and Fig.1 below shows that parameters comprised in
resistance in planar magnetic are difficult to model due to equivalent circuit of planar transformer which are
the complex interaction between physical winding winding resistance, , inter-winding capacitance, ,
arrangement of each layer and core geometry. This paper
provides a method to study the effect of varying operating intra-winding capacitance, and leakage inductance,
frequency over parasitic component, number of turns, and [4].
power loss in planar transformer in a clear manner. By
using a datasheet ER64/13/51 of designing planar
transformer from Ferroxcube, frequency varied between
range of 90kHz to 600kHz and the result is validated in
order to verify the relationship based on theoretical formula.

Keywords - planar transformer; parasitic component; winding

capacitance; resistance; theoretical modeling; high frequency.
Basic design of 3D planar transformer
I. INTRODUCTION

High operating frequency of planar transformer is

widely being applied to the power electronic application
such as convertor in power conversion hence resulting to
the significant reduction in term of sizing and costing
price of manufacturing towards increasing years. The
power rating, voltage levels, and type of converter will
created its own shape to define the implement of core
shape and material, rated power, number of winding and
winding configuration [1,2].
n general, increased of frequency will lead to
decreasing the winding turns in transformer due to
inductance and frequency relationship but will lead to
increasing current density in winding turns. In high
frequency operation, current density is assigned by
considering temperature rise in core and copper losses
during operating condition [3]. So that, base layer of
winding track can hold up to the rated amount of
temperature produce by the current flow in the copper’s
path track. But in certain design of transformer, operating
frequency is considered as a factor leading to the
Equivalent Circuit model
Fig 1: Planar transformer and equivalent circuit [8]
In this calculated experiment based on theoretical
modeling, analytical method is available to investigate
number of turns, winding resistance and capacitance over
varied frequencies [5]. Capacitive effects, in other word
are very important in planar transformer due to the
winding proximity [6]. Aspects relating to power losses
have been addressed by using different number of turns
due to operating frequency [7]. Copper losses can be
calculated by using extracted data of winding resistance.
The results can be used to interpret the relationship
between number of turns and frequency over winding
resistance and capacitance up to 600kHz.

2166-0662/14 $31.00 © 2014 IEEE 400

DOI 10.1109/ISMS.2014.74
 II. METHODOLOGY
A 24 Watts of forward transformer is designed by
using following specifications:
A through the plotted table and graph.
Core = Ferrite 3F3
The constant input voltage and current of 24V and
1A and 1:1 turn of ratio is applied for both winding so
that the experiment can be done in primary winding
without affecting the secondary winding value. Current
density in the winding is assigned to be 350 due to
temperature rise, = 30 . Winding of transformer is
designed with round shape according to the specification
of ferrite core ER 64/15/31 with core area, of 5.5
and Mean Length Turn, MLT of 117.81mm. Calculation
of MLT is referred to the equation below.
(1)
Figure below shows the dimension of MLT based on
round-shaped winding design.
Fig 2. Mean Length of Turn for circular type winding [6].
Copper resistance ( ) is selected from the
American Wire Gauge, AWG Standard shows in Table I
based on calculated wire area obtained by dividing input
current, with current density, . After computing the
calculation and referring to the table, AWG #22 is
selected as a copper trace that being used in the winding
with a thickness of 3oz which equals to 0.00405 inch and
track width of 4.57mm.
401
Wide range of high frequency in planar transformer
always results in different parasitic components related to
winding capacitance and also results in less usage of
number of turns in windings. By manipulating a certain
range of frequency and number of turns, changing of
winding capacitance and resistance can be investigate
The following equations are being applied to
calculate winding resistance, and capacitance, .
Board of thickness, d is assumed to be 0.5mm and a
constant, K of 4.7.
TABLE I
CLOSE APPROXIMATION OF COPPER TRACE USING
AMERICAN WIRE GAUGE STANDARD [6]
III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Temperature rise in transformer winding and core
plays major role for determining amount of current
density in copper trace. Actual size of copper trace must
be slightly bigger compared to theoretical calculation in
order to hold the amount of current flow through copper
trace. Estimation of current density in the copper trace
based on temperature rise gives starting point in order to
determine the printed trace circuit data. Different value of
current density in copper trace will result to the different
parameters obtained such as resistance per length hence
will change the amount of winding resistance produced.
Specific distributed data from table above can be
extracted and shown as a graph below to observe the
relationship between both parameters. By referring to
figure below, as frequency increases, winding capacitance
exponentially decreases due to relationship of (6). When
comparing high frequency planar transformer to the
conventional wire-wound transformer, winding
capacitance and resistance will result to significant
changes because planar type will be less producing
winding resistance and capacitance due to different
number of turns with different operating frequency. As a
matter of fact, resistance is not influenced by varying
frequency but in this case, exponential decreasing graph is
a result from varying resistance per length (u/mm)
because as frequency increase, current density will
decrease and will result to larger amount of copper
thickness. As copper thickness increases, resistance per
length will decrease hence resulting less amount of
winding resistance. wire wound transformer is only
capable of handling lower operating frequency compared Fig 4. Graph of winding capacitance vs frequency
to planar type transformer due to current density through
winding resistance.
Generally, power loss in any type of transformer
depends on the input or output current and winding
resistance respectively but of course it will differ between
planar and wire wound transformer. Short length of
winding in planar type transformer gives small amount of
resistance. However, in order to deal with temperature
rise in the winding and core, copper trace in planar
transformer need to be wider as the relationship of
temperature rise and current density. Second factor that
will affect amount of winding power loss in transformer is
amount of input and output current which is larger the
current will cause larger the power loss. Most of wire
wound transformer can hold higher current compared to
planar type. According to the input current which equals
to 1A, theoretically, winding power loss will be exactly
same as winding resistance as;
Fig 5. Graph of winding resistance vs number of turns
(5)

(6) Linear increment between winding resistance and

capacitance over number of turns is the inverse result of
winding resistance and capacitance over frequency. For
number of turns versus winding resistance, the graph is
directly proportional due to relationship of (2). Frequency
and number of turns will definitely relate to each other
because as number of turns increases frequency will
exponentially decrease. These two parameters exist in any
theoretical or practical modeling transformer but in wire
wound transformer more factors need to be considered
and makes the design process more difficult such as
transformer window utilization factor which can be
neglected in planar transformer.

(7)

Fig 3. Graph of winding resistance vs frequency

402

Fig 6. Graph of frequency vs number of turns
IV. CONCLUSIONS
Increase of frequency will lead to many major impacts in
transformer design regarding parasitic components, power
losses and number of turns. Exponential characteristic
graph from relationship between number of turns and
operating frequency is due to many involving parameters
which are operating flux density, core area and voltage
level. High operating frequency above 600 kHz prefers to
be designed with single turn of winding but with
identified amount of current density based on temperature
rise in core and copper trace. This methodology can be
used to study the effect of Mean Length Turn and core
area over winding capacitance and resistance.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Special thanks dedicated to INEE of University
Malaysia Perlis for the supports in the research’s funding
and also included Prof Dr. Uda Bin Hashim, Dr. Muzamir
Bin Isa and Mr. Abdul Rahim for the advices based on
their true knowledge and wisdom. Not to forget, thanks to
the lecturers of UniMAP Electrical Systems Department
for bringing UniMAP as one of the top research
universities in Malaysia.
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TABLE II

CALCULATED RESULT USING THEORETICAL MODELING OF PLANAR TRANSFORMER

No of Frequency, Winding resistance, Winding capacitance, Winding Power loss,

turns kHz Rw () Cw (pF) W
1 655.2 0.0062 32.9456 0.0062
2 327.6 0.013 65.8911 0.013
3 218.4 0.0194 98.8367 0.0194
4 163.8 0.0259 131.7823 0.0259
5 131.04 0.0323 164.7278 0.0323
6 109.2 0.0389 197.6734 0.0389
7 93.6 0.0454 230.619 0.0454

404