Virtual instrument for the characterization of inductors at different operation points
Javier Calvente, Roberto Giral, Miro Milanovič · 2011
A virtual instrument for inductance characterization at different operating points is presented in this paper. The parameters obtained from the characterization of inductors using the virtual instrument allows to make more realistic simulations and thus obtain better designs converters before making them. Reports generated by the virtual instrument of the analyzed inductor will allows to create a database to facilitate the search for an inductor according to different parameters generated in the reports. The virtual instrument was development using LabVIEW software and allows to control an inductance analyzer and a DC current source both of QuadTech manufacturer through GPIB communication. By controlling these two instruments it is possible to estimate the parameters of different mathematic models of the inductor in test as function of the DC current and the frequency operation. The inductors analyzed are components used principally for the manufacture of DC-DC converters. If the DC-DC converter control operates at constant frequency such as those using a PWM control, it is necessary to obtain an inductor model as function of the different operation points of the DC current all at the switching frequency. On the other hand, if the control that uses the DC-DC converter has a variable frequency like using sliding mode control it is necessary to know the inductor model as function of the frequency and DC current of operation. In both cases the virtual instrument is a powerful tool to obtain the model that satisfies the requirements of the converter control. The experimental results presented in experimental results validate the advantages of the virtual instrument.