Abstract
M.Ing. (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
Many applications need a high power (> 500W) at a relatively low voltage. The known technology of this class of converters is primitive and such converters are big as a result thereof. An investigation is made into the suitability of matrix transformer technology in the supply of large currents at low voltages. A layout for this topology which make optimal use of its characteristics is proposed .
This includes modularity, possible application in distributed power supplies and equal
current sharing. A system is designed and models are created to optimize the design. The models are extended to accommodate the effects of unavoidable parasitics which was observed in the practical system. A system consisting of sixteen modular units with a total output current capability of 320A at a voltage of between 0 and 5V is developed. The output capability and thus the number of modules needed is dependent on the application. Provision is thus made for a large power range. Power is transformed at a frequency of 100kHz to keep the physical dimensions of the system small.