2019 International Conference on Intelligent Green Building and Smart Grid (IGBSG2019), 6-9 Sept.

, Yichang
China

A Novel Integrated Transformer Structure for

High Efficiency LLC Converter
Jing-Yuan Lin Hsuan-Yu Yueh Sih-Yi Lee
Department of Electronic and Department of Electronic and Department of Electronic and
Computer Engineering Computer Engineering Computer Engineering
National Taiwan University of Science National Taiwan University of Science National Taiwan University of Science
and Technology and Technology and Technology
Taipei, Taiwan, ROC Taipei, Taiwan, ROC Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Pin-Hsien Liu
Department of Electronic and
Computer Engineering
National Taiwan University of Science
and Technology
Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
[email protected]

Abstract—The high-efficiency, high-current and low-cost losses. Emerging GaN devices offer the opportunity to further
power solutions are required for data centers application, in order optimize the performance of LLC resonant converter at high
to reduce the transmission loss on cables, the high input-voltage dc frequency operation, GaN device’s superb characteristic of low
distribution power architecture has been adopted, the 380-12 V parasitic capacitor and low gate charge can significantly reduce
high output current isolated converter is widely used in this circulating current loss and gate driving loss compare to silicon
application. This paper presents a 300-kHz 1-kW LLC resonant MOSFET [8]. However, magnetics components losses including
converter using novel integrated transformer and Gallium nitride core loss, winding loss and gap loss are increased in high switching
device that are designed and optimized for the LLC resonant frequency operation and magnetic design become very critical.
converter. The novel integrated transformer structure is proposed In recent ten years, the matrix transformer is proposed and
and designed for reducing core-loss, secondary conduction-loss widely used [9]-[10], it is a good candidate for this application due
and achieving no gap-loss. In the end, a laboratory prototype is to its high current capability and high step-down ratio, besides, the
designed and tested. The experimental results have verified the flux cancellation method of matrix transformer can be utilized both
performance of the proposed LLC resonant converter with novel reducing core size and loss. Still, in LLC resonant converter design,
integrated transformer. magnetizing inductance is used to achieve ZVS and designed as a
small value especially at high frequency operation, although GaN’s
Keywords—gallium nitride, high frequency, integrated low output capacitance helps to minimum the current of
transformer, LLC resonant converter. magnetizing inductance with large magnetizing inductance, the
LLC resonant converter operate in high frequency still need lower
magnetizing inductance due to short excitation time, it means that
I. INTRODUCTION the air gap in transformer design can’t be reduce. Therefore, the gap
Recently, more and more electronic devices, such as memories, loss induced by air gap is unavoidable and unneglectable especially
chip sets, core processors and hardware drives are powered from a at high switching frequency operation.
12V bus. As the power capability increase, the conduction loss To maintain the benefits of matrix transformer and further
consideration become more critical nowadays. In order to reduce eliminate gap loss in the transformer, integrated magnetics
the conduction loss in the power distribution, the dc power technique is an effective way to reduce core loss, gap loss, and
distribution system is proved to be a good candidate compared with achieve high power density. In this paper, a new structure of
ac power distribution systems [1]. In order to further improve the integrated transformer with four columns core is proposed, this
system efficiency, a 380-12 V DC-DC transformer is used to structure can achieve flux cancellation between outer three columns
replace the multi-ended dc/dc converters in the dc distribution and flows together to the center column. Due to utilizing this flux
systems. The LLC resonant converters are widely used among cancellation method, both the flux flowing inside the core and the
power transfer for telecommunication and data center applications equivalent permeability acting on the core are naturally reduced,
since LLC resonant converters have high conversion efficiency, therefore, low or even no gap loss and lower core loss can been
simple structure and capability for high-frequency operation [2]-[3]. achieved on LLC resonant converter, furthermore, since the
In detail, LLC resonant converters have many advantages that proposed integrated transformer is designed to combine three
include ZVS capability from zero to full load range, low turn-off transformer core into one, the size of the transformer can be reduced
current of primary-side switches and zero-current switching for by integrating and modifying the column size, the current
synchronous rectifier (SR) devices [4]-[8]. Furthermore, the LLC distribution also becomes more evenly in secondary winding
resonant converter is suitable for this 380-12 V DC-DC stage, without additional compensation circuit due to reducing the
because it can operate at fixed frequency which is resonant tolerance of properties from different cores. Detailed descriptions of
frequency to maximum the converter’s efficiency. Therefore, the the proposed integrated transformer structure and practical design
LLC resonant converter becomes an excellent candidate for the next method are revealed in the following sections. A highly efficient
generation of high-efficiency isolated converters for data center 650 W, 300-kHz, 380-12 V LLC converter is built and verified.
applications.
For high power density requirement, the switching frequency of II. PROPOSED NOVEL TRANSFORMER STRUCTURE ON LLC
LLC resonant converter becomes much higher than before, because
RESONANT CONVERTER
it can reduce the size of magnetic components to achieve high
power density demand. However, the converter’s efficiency The LLC resonant converter is very suitable for high frequency
decreases due to high switching loss and high magnetic components dc-dc isolated 380-12 V converter [11-12]. It can achieve zero-

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 2019 International Conference on Intelligent Green Building and Smart Grid (IGBSG2019), 6-9 Sept., Yichang
China

voltage switching (ZVS) for primary switches and zero-current A. Theoretical analysis of proposed transformer structure
switching (ZCS) for secondary switches ensuring high efficiency To further illustrate and explain the benefits of the proposed
and high power density. In this application, since the demand of transformer structure on LLC resonant converter, the magnetic
converter’s switching frequency and power volume increasing, the reluctance model of proposed transformer structure are shown in
switching loss of primary switches, the loss of magnetic Fig. 3, Ro is the magnetic reluctances of three outer legs. Rc is the
components and conduction loss of secondary switches have to magnetic reluctance of the center leg, since the geometry of
further optimize particularly. Over the past few years, the matrix transformer structure is symmetric, magnetic reluctances in three
transformer is proposed and popular with using in LLC resonant outer legs are the same, Φ1, Φ2, Φ3, Φc are the flux in each legs and
converter. It has been widely study and discussion including core the magnetomotive forces (MMF) in three outer legs induced by
loss reduction, terminal loss reduction and structure optimization. primary current and secondary current, the magnetomotive forces
However, the gap loss improvement is seldom discussed although (MMF) at primary-side are divided into three in each outer leg, the
it can’t be ignored especially at high frequency operation. In this magnetomotive forces (MMF) at secondary-side are separated by
paper, the proposed integrated transformer structure is designed not positive conduction and negative conduction due to the secondary
only to optimize for improving of transformer gap loss but structure of center-tapped type.
employs the benefits on core loss and secondary conduction loss.
The proposed transformer structure using in the half-bridge LLC
resonant converter shows in Fig. 1. The GaNFETs Q1 and Q2 are
primary devices. The SR MOSFETS Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6, Q7 and Q8 are
secondary devices. Cr is the resonant capacitor. Lr is the leakage
inductance of the transformer while Lm1, Lm2 and Lm3 are the
magnetizing inductance. For optimal design in 380-12 V
application, the equivalent turns ratio is 15:1:1 which makes
converter operates near resonant frequency to reduce apparent
power loss, therefore, the turns ratio in each transformer is 5:1:1, Fig. 3. Magnetic reluctance model of proposed transformer structure
primary-side windings are in series, secondary-side windings are
Fig.4 shows the operation of proposed transformer structure in
center-tapped and connect in parallel.
magnetic reluctance model during de-coupled operation interval.
Integrated transformer
n1:1:1
Q4 When primary current(ip) is equal to magnetizing current(iLm),
Q5
secondary windings can’t conduct and primary current(ip) is in
Lm1

Q1 Coss1
Q6 freewheeling, the flux distribution can be cancelled and reduced by
Vgs1
Lr Cr
Q7
flux cancellation. Following equations show the amount of flux in
Vin
n2:1:1
Q8
Q9
the three outer legs and center leg, it can be written as,
Q2 Coss2 Lm2
Vgs2
Q10 Co Ro Vo
Q11
Lm=Lm1+Lm2+Lm3
Q12
n3:1:1
Q13
Lm3
Q14
Q15

Fig. 1. Circuit diagram of the LLC resonant converter with proposed

transformer structure

Fig. 2 shows the proposed transformer structure which

combines three individual U-I cores into one integrated core by Fig. 4. De-coupled operation interval in proposed transformer structure
using common center leg, the primary-side windings which are
divided into three and connect to each outer leg in series and the Np
secondary-side windings are center-tapped and connect to each ( ip )
3 Rc
outer leg in parallel. In this structure, since the flux in three outer 1  2  3   (1  ) (1)
legs and center leg is partially cancelled to each other, the Ro  ( Ro / / Ro / / Rc ) 2 Ro  Rc )
magnetomotive force (MMF) in each leg is reduced, the core loss c  1  2  3 (2)
can be also reduced, meanwhile, the magnetizing inductance can According to the operation analysis of the proposed transformer
be reduced due to flux cancellation, therefore, lower or no gap loss structure on LLC resonant converter, it can be seen that the
can be achieved by no gap insertion comparing to three individual magnitude of flux distribution is based on magnitude of magnetic
transformer structure, furthermore, since the tolerance of different reluctance and magnitude of the magnetomotive force (MMF),
core properties is eliminated in proposed transformer structure, the since the magnetic reluctances in three outer legs are the same due
issue of current balance induced by transformer component can be to symmetrical geometry of transformer structure, the flux flow
solved. through three outer legs are the same, the output current can be
distributed by three naturally to further reduce conduction loss at
D1
secondary side, besides, the equivalent magnetizing inductance can
Coss1 D2
be derived from magnetic reluctance model, the value of the
Q1
Vgs1 transformer magnetizing inductance in three operation interval is
Lr Cr
Vin D3 Co Ro the same and can be expressed as,
Q2 D4
o  1  2  3
Coss2
Vgs2 (3)
D5
N po Np 2
Rc
) (4)
D6
Lm    (1-
N s 3( Ro  ( Ro / / Ro / / Rc )) Rc  ( Ro / / Ro )
i p -is
Fig. 2. Proposed integrated transformer structure Np
where o is the flux in three outer legs.
The flux density in three outer legs and center leg on LLC resonant
converter can be written as

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 2019 International Conference on Intelligent Green Building and Smart Grid (IGBSG2019), 6-9 Sept., Yichang
China

o pursuing high power conversion efficiency. To achieve ZVS

Bo  (5) operation, the magnetizing current should be required to
A e_o
charge and dis-charge the output capacitance of the switches,
c the magnetizing inductance can be designed as follow,
Bc  (6)
A e_c td
where Bo is the flux density in outer leg, B c is the flux density in Lm 
8  f s  (2Coss  Cstray )
center leg, Ae_o is the effective area in outer leg, Ae_c is the
effective area in center leg. where td is dead-time of primary switches, Coss is output-
Based on the above equation, the brief comparison between capacitance of primary switches, Cstray is parasitic
three series individual U-I transformer and proposed integrated capacitance on PCB’s stray and transformer.
transformer are showed in the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Assume that the It can be understood that the value of magnetizing
core material and winding turns are identical, the only difference is inductance is reverse-proportional to switching frequency, as
the dimension of transformer center leg in proposed integrated the switching frequency increase, the value of magnetizing
transformer, when the reluctance of center leg is changed, the effect inductance decreases to achieve ZVS operation, the length of
of flux cancellation is different. As shown in Fig.5, since the gap insertion for reducing magnetizing inductance can be
reluctance of center leg is increased, the flux distribution inside the
derived as follow,
core is further cancelled, the magnetizing inductance can be
reduced due to flux cancellation, meanwhile, the distribution of flux N p2 1
density is shown in Fig. 6, the flux density in outer legs decrease lg  (  ( 0 r Ae )  le ) 
and the flux density increases in center leg when reluctance of Lm r  1
center leg increases, although the flux density increases in center leg, where lg is length of gap insertion, le is effective length of
the volume of center leg is reduced and is smaller than outer leg due
to the geometry of magnetic reluctance, since the major contribution
magnetic path, Ae is the effective area of core, 0 is the initial
of core loss induced by flux distribution is form the outer legs, the permeability, r is the relative permeability.
core loss can be reduced, the core size can be also reduced Fig.7 shows the relationship among the switching
compared to conventional transformer structure due to smaller
volume of center leg. frequency, inductance value and gap length, due to the
permeability constraint of the magnetic material, the value
of magnetizing inductance is always higher than the desired
one which can achieve ZVS operation on LLC resonant
converter, therefore, the gap insertion can’t be avoided
especially at high frequency, the gap loss induced by the
transformer gap insertion become more critical.
Based on the operation of 380 -12 V 300 kHz LLC
resonant converter, the value of magnetizing inductance is
known for achieving zero voltage switching (ZVS),
transformer turns ratio is fixed to maintain the optimal
Fig. 5. Magnetizing inductance with variable reluctance of center leg operation point on LLC resonant converter, in order to
optimal design of the proposed transformer structure, there
are many dimension-factors in the proposed transformer
structure are compared and designed. To minimize
transformer loss and core size, firstly, the gap loss is
eliminated without the gap insertion, secondly, the loss
analysis on core loss, winding loss, core size are considered,
there are nine dimension-factors of core structure which are
shown in Fig.8 These dimensions of core structure affect
value of magnetizing inductance, flux density, winding
volume, core size directly, in the other word, the total
Fig. 6. Flux density with variable reluctance of center leg transformer loss will be decided by the dimension-factors of
In high frequency and high current application on LLC core structure, the relationships between the dimension-
resonant converter, since transformer turns-ratio is fixed and factors of core structure and core loss are shown in Table. I.
the transformer turns can’t be less than one turn, transformer
primary- turn can’t be reduced no matter the switching
frequency increases for maintaining transformer turns-ratio,
the magnetizing inductance can’t be reduced at high
frequency without adding gap insertion, gap loss induced by
the transformer gap insertion can’t be reduced. However,
lower magnetizing inductance and core loss can be achieved
in proposed transformer structure, it is an opportunity to
eliminate gap loss with no-gap insertion and also can reduce
core loss and size in the transformer structure’s aspect.
Fig. 7. Air-gap insertion versus magnetizing inductance and
B. Design consideration of proposed integrated transformer switching frequency
on LLC resonant converter
One of the significant advantage of the LLC resonant
converter is ZVS capability on both primary switches for

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 2019 International Conference on Intelligent Green Building and Smart Grid (IGBSG2019), 6-9 Sept., Yichang
China

Fig. 8. Geometry core structure (3D view)

Fig. 9. Geometry of winding arrangement (2D view)

The transformer winding loss on different dimensions of

core structure can be estimated, the winding arrangement can
be decided depend on the total winding loss at given current
conditions in Fig. 10, furthermore, in order to design a
TABLE I. GEOMETRY OF CORE STRUCTURE (3D VIEW) suitable core on LLC resonant converter to achieve high
Magnetizing inductance
efficiency and high power density, the desired magnetizing
inductance and the transformer size have been set, therefore,
le _ c le _ o1 le _ o 2
Rc  , Ro   winding volume is reverse-proportional to core volume when
r  Ae _ c r  Ae _ o1 r  Ae _ o 2
the transformer size is fixed, as the winding loss increase at
N p2 Rc lower winding volume condition, the core volume and
Lm   (1- )
3( Ro  ( Ro / / Ro / / Rc )) Rc  ( Ro / / Ro ) effective area in each leg can be increased, the lower core
loss can be achieved by lower flux density in each leg. Fig.11
Geometric dimensions
shows the relationship between core loss and winding loss at
3 2 fixed magnetizing inductance and fixed core size condition,
Ae _ c  la , A e _ o1  l f  li , A e _ o 2  lg  li
4 the case of lowest transformer loss can be found by using the
le _ c  l f  li , le _ o1  2ld  lg , le _ o 2  2le  l f loss calculation.
Ve _c  Ae _ c  (2ld  lg ),Ve _o1  Ae _o1  (2ld  lg ),Ve _o2  Ae _ o 2  (2le  2l f )
TABLE II. GEOMETRY OF WINDING ARRANGEMENT
Core-Loss
Vin
 DTs
o _ peak  4 , c _ peak  3o _ peak
Np
o _ peak o _ peak c _ peak
Bo1_ peak  , Bo 2_ peak  , Bc _ peak 
Ae _ o1 Ae _ o 2 Ae _ c
Core _ Loss  PCV (B )  Ve_o1  PCV (B )  Ve_o2  PCV (Bc_peak )  Ve_c
o1_pek o 2 _pek

Besides, winding loss is also essential part in design

consideration, in order to reduce the error in transformer
fabrication and have better efficiency performance in high
frequency operation, planar print circuit board (PCB) is
adopted, winding arrangement of primary and secondary side
is shown in Fig. 9. In 380-12 V application, primary
windings are connected in series, secondary windings are
connected in parallel to distribute high output current, 4-layer
and 2-oz thickness PCB is used to further reduce conduction
loss in transformer winding, detailed PCB’s specification and
the winding loss equation related to the dimension-factors of Fig. 10. Comparison of winding loss at primary and secondary side
core structure are shown in Table. II, the ac resistance loss
induced by gap insertion is ignored by no gap insertion,
besides, due to the complexity of resistance calculation in
transformer winding, the square-shape type of winding is
considered and connecting winding between each leg at
primary side is ignored.

Fig. 11. Total transformer loss between core loss and winding loss

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 2019 International Conference on Intelligent Green Building and Smart Grid (IGBSG2019), 6-9 Sept., Yichang
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III. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

A 250 kHz, 380-12 V, 650 W LLC resonant converter
with proposed transformer structure has been designed,
fabricated and tested. The laboratory prototype is shown in
Fig. 1, the prototype operates as a dc/dc transformer, in other
word, its switching frequency is fixed at resonant frequency.
The specifications of prototype are shown in Table. Ⅲ.The
design specification are 380-V dc input and 12-V dc output,
the transformer turn-ratio is 15:1:1, the switching frequency
is 250 kHz.

TABLE III. SPECIFICATIONS OF THE PROTOTYPE

Fig. 14. Power conversion efficiency of the prototype LLC resonant
Designation Parameters converter
Input voltage 380 VDC
Output voltage 12 VDC IV. CONCLUSIONS
Output power 650 W
Transformer turns-ratio 15:1:1 To further reduce the gap loss in the transformer, this
Switching frequency 250 kHz paper proposed a new transformer structure in high-
frequency, high current LLC resonant converter. A new
transformer structure helps to further eliminate the gap loss
Fig.12 shows the operational waveforms of LLC resonant by reducing the value of magnetizing inductance and reduce
converter with proposed transformer structure under 20% core loss by flux cancellation. Besides, the integrated
and 100% load. It can be seem that the primary devices can transformer structure helps to reduce the tolerance of
achieve ZVS, the turn-off current is as low as 2 A, since the different core and makes the current distribution more even.
GaN device has smaller output capacitance compared to Si A high efficiency new transformer structure based on a
MOSFET, it will result in lower turn off current which can previous discussion is proposed. A 250 kHz 380-12 V 650 W
reduce turn-off loss. Fig.13 shows the voltage of secondary LLC resonant converter prototype is built to verify the
winding in transformer’s three outer legs, the voltage of proposed transformer structure.
secondary winding in transformer’s three outer legs are the
same due to using single core component and uniform
coupling by using planar PCB winding, the tolerance of ACKNOWLEDGMENT
different core is reduced and the current distribution can be The authors would like to acknowledge the financial
more even since the same induced voltage at secondary. To support of the Ministry of Science and Technology of
test the overall efficiency, the whole converter efficiency can Taiwan through grant number MOST 106-2221-E-011 -095 -
reach as high as 97.5% shown in Fig. 14. MY3.

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