Transformer & Inductor Simulation — Core Losses & Leakage
Core loss models (Steinmetz, Bertotti), leakage inductance, winding proximity effects, lamination modeling, and high-frequency transformer design.
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Quick Explainer
Why do transformer cores have laminations and how does simulation capture their effect?
Laminations interrupt eddy current loops by stacking thin silicon steel sheets with insulation between them. Without lamination, large eddy currents would circulate in the bulk core causing heating and loss. In FEM, laminated cores use effective complex permeability or homogenization — not meshing each 0.2-0.5mm sheet individually.
What is the proximity effect in transformer windings and why does it matter at high frequency?
Adjacent conductors' magnetic fields distort current distribution in each conductor, pushing current to one side. Unlike skin effect (self-induced), proximity effect is induced by neighbors. At high frequency in switched-mode power supplies, proximity losses can exceed skin effect losses in multi-layer windings — FEM-guided winding interleaving design is essential for efficiency.