V3.0
with
Installation and Operation
Manual:
This on-line manual (TrDsMan30.doc) is included on the CD as a Microsoft Word document file.
Contents
AutoDesign Feature
2
Manual Operation (without AutoDesign)
.. 8
Installation
. 17
Parameter Descriptions
. 18
Sample Designs
24
Simplified designing with
Using the AutoDesign feature, entering minimum design requirements results in a complete transformer design realization . The optional Core Library of over 600 cores and the optional Conductor Library must be authorized for the AutoDesign feature to function.
The following design form is the only form required to be completed:
Most of the above form is self-explanatory:
The total number of windings is 3.
The minimum operating frequency is 30 KHz.
The form factor is 1 since this is a square wave (1.11 for a sine wave).
The maximum expected operating frequency is 32 V.
The duty cycle is expected to be 1 or 100%.
Since nominal margins is selected, the margins associated with the conductors in the Conductor Library will be used.
The primary and second secondary windings are centertapped; the first secondary is not.
The minimum input and output voltages are 24, 5 and 12 respectively.
The required output currents are 1 amp at 5 V and .05 amp at 12 V.. It is not necessary to enter the input current - it is calculated by the program.
From these minimum input requirements, the program completely designs the transformer. It selects the core and the conductors, and performs the necessary calculations for a complete transformer realization.
The two output forms are then displayed:
This Design Results form shows information the designer can review to be assured that all his concerns have been adequately addressed.
The Fabrication Results form shows data needed by the shop to fabricate the transformer.
The remaining 3 forms can also be displayed.
The Core Data Entry form contains all the relevant data on the selected core, including both the electrical and physical parameters.
The Winding Data Entry form contains most of the data entered by the designer plus the selected conductors.
The Conductor Data form includes the data parameters for each conductor from the Conductor Library.
The output data can be selectively printed in two collections. :
The Design Outputs printout contains data useful to the designer to determine if the design requirements have been adequately met. This is the same data as in the Design Results form.
The Fabrication Data printout shows data needed by the shop to fabricate the transformer. This is the same data as is available in the Fabrication Results form.
The design can now be:
1. Sent to the shop for fabrication.
2. Saved for future reference.
3. Modified using the manual design
techniques described in the online manual and recalculated.
4. Printed. In addition to the above described
printouts, any of the design forms can be printed.
Manual Design (without the AutoDesign feature):
The security device ("dongle") must be connected to a parallel port prior to running the program. The computer should be powered down before installing the security device. Printers or other devices can then be connected to the security device.
Start TRANSFORMER DESIGNER from the Start menu - Click "Start" then
"Diogenes" then "TRANSFORMER DESIGNER". (The security device
[dongle]
must be attached to a parallel port whenever the program is started or running.)
The first ("Splash") screen gives you an opportunity to review the limited warranty (click the "Review Warranty" box). After reviewing, click the "Agree" box to continue. The main screen will then appear.
Familiarization:
The easiest way to become familiar with the program is to load an example project. You may want to stick to the large type in this manual the first time through to get the flavor of the program. Load NH60TRY1.dio from the Sample Programs by clicking on the "File" menu then "Open" then navigate to the CD and open NH60TRY1.dio.
After loading, several forms are available for viewing. Click on the view menus (View Inputs and View Outputs) to view the forms available. Notice that the input forms have been completed (Core Entry Data, Winding Data Entry, and Display Conductor Constants). If you begin a new design, most of this requires completion by the designer (with help of the optional libraries), but in this case , the design has been entered earlier and saved. The output forms are still blank and will be completed by the computer (Display Design Results and Display Fabrication Results). This program saves all the input data but none of the output data.
Perusal of the Winding Data Entry form reveals the output (Winding No. 2) is 5 Amps at 10 Volts or about 50 Watts and the input volts and amps are consistent with this. Also, there are two non-center-tapped windings, the min frequency is 57 Hz, the waveform is sine wave ( since the Form Factor is 1.11), the max input V is 125V and the max duty cycle is unity (per unit).
From the Core Entry form, we see the core is a non-square (1.5 per unit) stack of 100EI M6 29Ga with a stacking factor of 0.92. The insulation over the core is 5 mils, the AC Permeability is 8500 (core material only, program adjusts for air gap), the DC Perm is 1400 (core material only, program adjusts for air gap), the maximum allowed flux density is 14.6 Kg and the power dissipation is 1.54 Watts per Pound of core. The rest of the inputs describe core physical characteristics.
Clicking on Display Conductor Constants from the View Inputs menu results in a form which contains the parameters of the winding conductors. Some of this automatically appears from earlier entries, but diameter or thickness, the pounds/KFt, the Ohms/Kft, the turns/inch, and the diode drop (zero if no diode is in the winding) must be entered (with the help of the Conductor Library, which is discussed later).
After all these entries are complete, click on the Calculate menu. The results of the calculation are immediately available in the Design Results form. This form shows the build is too high (130%) so that the core could not be stacked. The temperature rise is low (27degrees C) which suggests that smaller wire or more turns could be used. The exciting current is low (.036 Amps or 7.2% of the 0.5A primary current), presenting no problem. The flux density per DC Amp is quite high, suggesting that very little unbalance in the circuit could be tolerated, but this is a sine wave transformer and presumably has no unbalance.
The Fabrication Results form, available for viewing from the View Outputs menu, shows the primary turns to be 380 and the secondary turns to be 38.
A lot of the information on the Fabrications Results form is useful when actually fabricating the component: the build, length of conductor, weight, and MLT of each winding. Other information is useful for the designer in optimizing the design: build, ohms/side, dissipation, watts/pound, CM/A (circular mils/Amp), and % regulation for each winding.
The only real problem with this transformer appears to be the excessive build. One possible way to reduce the build is to reduce the margins of the windings. This can be accomplished on the Winding Data Entry form merely by changing the margins to zero. Also, changing the max allowable flux density on the Core Data Entry form to be 14700 G instead of 14600 G can reduce the turns slightly. This can be done on the present forms or NH60TRY2.DIO can be loaded, which already includes these changes. After recalculation without margins, it is seen that the % winding fill is reduced from 130% to 100%. This calculation includes a 10% bulge factor, which is probably enough for most situations, but experience with the actual shop results at a particular company may require a more conservative number. Since I would not feel safe with this number, and the temperature rise is low, suggesting that the design is too conservative, another calculation is in order. The primary winding wire size was reduced from #23 to #25 (same as NH60TRY3.DIO).
The change in wire size results in about 87% winding fill (which looks about right to me) but the temp rise is still only 31 degrees C (still too conservative). (Note that the margins on winding 1 is zero for this calculation. If the conductor parameters are entered from the Conductor Library, a suggested margin of 0.125 is automatically entered, and must be changed to zero to agree eith these results.) Next, the stack height was reduced to a square stack (same as NH60TRY4.DIO). Note that when the stack height is changed, the Core Area, Core Volume, and Core Weight also must be adjusted.If the optional Conductor Library has been authorized, the reduction in wire size can be accomplished in various ways. In the Winding Data Entry form, click on the name of conductor No. 1, which is "23". This causes "Focus" to be acquired by that entry box. Click on the next box (or anywhere else), causing the Conductor name box to lose focus and an Action menu is displayed with several alternatives to entering the data for that particular winding:
If you merely close the Action form or if you select "Enter Conductor Parameters Manually", or do nothing with it, no changes are made.
If you select "Input Conductor Parameters from Library", the program searches the Core Library for whatever conductor name is in the entry box at that time. If the conductor is found, the values from the Library are entered on the form. If the conductor is not found, no changes are made, and you are notified that the conductor is not in the Library.
If you select "Add Conductor to Library", all the data for that winding is entered in the Library. The Conductor Library is then opened, revealing the data from the table which will be saved under that conductor designation. You then have the opportunity to add additional information which may be useful to you but not required by the program. If a conductor with that name is already in the Library, you will receive a message to that effect, and you will be required to delete the previous record before you can enter the new record. Or you could modify one of the names.
If you choose "Display Conductors from the Library", the Conductor Library opens, sorted by conductor name. The window can be maximized for easier reading. You can then peruse the Library, Add data and conductors, Delete conductors, or Select a conductor. If you select a conductor, the data for that conductor will be entered on the Winding Data Entry form for the conductor name which lost "Focus". While the Library is displayed, you also have the option of resorting by Thickness or CM (circular mils), which can be useful when optimizing windings.
The last option calculates the parameters for a foil conductor. Enter the dimensions you require (i.e., .002x.500) and the program will calculate the design parameters (ohms/Kft, etc.) and enter them in the Winding Data Entry form and the Conductor Library.
If the optional Core Library has been authorized, there are several options for entering core parameters. On the Core Data Entry form, set the Focus on Material and then shift it to the next box (or anywhere else). An Action form is displayed with several alternatives.
If the Action form is merely closed, no changes occur.
If Enter Core Parameters Manually is selected, the remainder of the entry boxes on the form are cleared.
If Enter Core Parameters from Library is selected, the data from the Library corresponding to whatever core name is currently displayed is entered on the Core Data Entry form. If the core is not found, no changes are made, and you are notified that the core is not in the Library.
If you select "Add Core to Library", all the data for that core is entered in the Library. The Core Library is then opened, revealing the data from the table which will be saved under that conductor designation. You then have the opportunity to add additional information which may be useful to you but not required by the program. If a core with that name is already in the Library, you will receive a message to that effect, and you will be required to delete the previous record before you can enter the new record. Or you could modify one of the names.
If you choose "Display Cores from the Library", the Core Library opens, sorted by core name. The window can be maximized for easier reading. The Library contains over 600 cores, selected to offer a cross section of the thousands of cores available. Silicon iron laminations, ferrite pot, EI and U cores, and oriented silicon iron C cores are represented.
You can then peruse the Library, Add data and cores, Delete cores, or Select a core. If you select a core, the data for that core will be entered on the Core Data Entry form. While the Library is displayed, you also have the option of opening the Sort form.
The Core Sort form allows sorting on any column (AreaProduct, CoreArea, etc.) by merely double clicking on the column header. In addition, columns can be rearranged in any order to facilitate comparisons (click and hold on a column heading while it is moved).
The final selection is Calculate Area Product, which adds the Area Product to the Core Library. The program does not use the Area Product, but the designer will find it useful when comparing cores.
Reducing the stack height caused the fill to rise to 121% and the temp rise to increase to 35 degrees C. Since the temp rise is still moderate, the wire size on the secondary was reduced from #13 to #17 (same as NH60TRY5.DIO )(Note that if #17 conductor parameters are entered from the Conductor Library, the suggested insulation is .007 inch versus the .010 in NH60TRY5.DIO, producing slightly different results). Note that the secondary winding was chosen because the watts/pound was low and the CM/amp were high for this winding as seen on the Fabricate Results form. The result is an acceptable (to me) fill of 85% and a marginal temp rise of 53 degrees C. This temp rise is probably acceptable in most cases, but if it is not, a slight increase in stack height could probably effect a compromise.
The above illustrates the methods and uses of some of the data calculated. A designer would probably review some of the values originally estimated: AC & DC permeabilities, core watts/pound, maximum flux density, etc., to ensure that they are still consistent with the final operating conditions.
Some of the parameters calculated by the program which are usually not available to designers, such as flux/DC amp, number of layers (with fractions), length of conductor, weight of each winding, CM/amp, %reg of each winding, and watts/pound of each winding can be valuable at times in determining which method of optimization to employ.
Sample Designs:
Several other sample designs are included to illustrate the flexibility of the program. There are U-Cores and Pot Cores, a design with eight windings, round wire, litz wire, and copper strip conductor and one with fairly high power. Most are high frequency square-wave designs. These samples are intended to illustrate some of the possibilities and do not pretend to be finished practical designs.
Printing Data:
From the Print Outputs menu, you can print the Design Data or Fab Data. Also, from the Print Form menu, you can print any of the program forms, including the main form. The current data is printed with the form.
Saving Designs:
Any design can be saved with the Save or Save As commands whether complete or not. Only the inputs are saved - the outputs must be recalculated from the inputs. Almost all the input data (including the project name, which appears in the center of the Main form) can be changed at any time - just enter new data and save.
New Designs:
For a new design, click on New from the File menu. The program prompts for a project name for the design and clears all the forms to blank. All the input data must then be entered before calculation is enabled. However, the design data can be saved at any time, it does not have to be complete. The partial data can be retrieved and completed later. Also, a previous design which is similar can be loaded and modified to meet the present requirements to save input time.
Installation:
Transformer Designer should be compatible with Windows
ME, XP, NT, and 2000 without special considerations.Windows 95: Transformer Designer is not recommended for operation with Windows 95 because some of the fonts are nearly illegible. However, Microsoft support informs me that CDOM95.EXE must be executed before installing Transformer Designer in order for the Core and Conductor libraries to be accessible. It can be downloaded from the Microsoft COM web site.
Windows 98: Transformer Designer is compatible with Windows 98 if DCOM98.EXE is executed before installing Transformer Designer (in order for the Core and Conductor libraries to be accessible). DCOM98 can be downloaded from the Microsoft COM web site.
Close any open applications, especially any virus software or security programs.
Put Install CD in a disk drive and type D:Setup at the Run command.
("D" is
your CD disk drive). For Windows NT, it is also required to run
KEYSETUP.EXE, which is resident on the CD (requires "Administrator
permission). The suggested locations for files are recommended. It is necessary to move Conductors.mdb and Core.mdb, found at C:\Program Files\Transformer Designer to C:\Program Files\TransDes\, which must be created if it is not available (this avoids destroying your customized entries in the Core and Conductors libraries if Transformer Designer is re-installed.
Uninstalling:
Uninstall with the usual Windows utilities. It is recommended to keep any shared files for which there is a choice.
Parameter Descriptions:
Core Data Entry Form:
The Core Input form contains the core data which is designated by the
designer. Descriptions of the parameters follows:
Core Name: Description of Core (Text)
Core Material Material of Core (Text)
Core Area Cross sectional area of core in square cm
Path Length Length of magnetic path in cm
Insulation Over Core Insulation over core or bobbin in inches
Core Weight Weight of core in pounds
Core Volume Volume of core in cubic cm
DC Permeability Permeability to DC under the prevailing
conditions (Core material only - the
program adjusts for air gap)
AC Permeability Permeability to AC under the prevailing
conditions (core material only - the
program adjusts for air gap)
Air Gap Air Gap in Inches
Dissipation Wt/Lb Power dissipation in the core in Watts/Pound
under prevailing conditionsTongue Width of the tongue for Laminations or square
cores or the diameter of core for round cores.
If there is a bobbin, use bobbin dimensions (Inches)Flux Density Maximum AC flux density allowed in Gauss. Used to
determine the number of turns required.Window Height Height of the window in inches. If a bobbin is used,
reduce the window height accordingly.Window Width Width of the window or bobbin if used in inches
Stacking Factor For laminated cores, use the manufacturers
recommendations. For solid cores, use unityStack Height For laminated cores, this can vary. Also, solid rectangular
cores could be stacked double or triple. For round cores
enter zero.(inches)
Winding Data Entry Form:
The Winding Input form contains some of the circuit parameters and specifies the winding conductors.
No. of Windings The total number of windings on the
component, including the primary
(drive) winding
Minimum Frequency
The minimum operating frequency. This
will be used to establish the maximum flux
density. (hertz)
Form Factor
This is the ratio of the RMS current value to
the average current value. (1.11 for a sine wave,
1 for a square wave, 1.73 for a triangle wave)
Max. Volts Primary
This is the maximum (RMS) primary voltage.
This is used to calculate the maximum flux density,
not for turns ratio calculations.
Maximum Duty Cycle
This is the maximum duty cycle that will occur in per
unit of the half cycle.
Type
Use 2 for center-tapped windings and unity for
non-CT windings.
Conductor
Description of the conductor. Can be round, square,
Minimum Voltage The minimum voltage for each winding. Will be used
to determine turns ratios.
RMS Current Maximum RMS current expected in the winding.
Margin Margins at each edge of the winding, specified in inches
Random Wind? Anything beginning with a "y" or "Y" will cause the program
to calculate a random wound winding. Anything else will
designate a layer winding.
Display Conductor Data Form:
Some of the constants for this form will be entered by the previous forms, but the rest must be entered
before a calculation is possible. These parameters are mostly general characteristics of the conductors.
Wind. No.
The windings are numbered by the program,
starting with the primary.
Insulation
This is insulation between layers or over the
associated winding in inches
Dia/Thick
This is the overall diameter of a round wire or
the thickness of rectangular or strip conductor.
Ohms/Kft
Ohms per thousand feet of conductor at the expected
operating temperature (assumed to be 100 degrees C
in the Conductor Library
Lb/Kft Pounds per thousand feet of conductor.
Turns/Inch Turns per linear inch of winding for this particular conductor.
Vd Rect
Expected voltage drop of rectifier in the circuit
associated with the winding, if any (zero for no rectifier).
Display Design Results Form:
The parameters calculated and presented here are useful in determining if a problem is evident in the
design and helps determine possible changes to effect improvement.
Dissipation Total component power dissipation in Watts.
Weight Total component weight in pounds.
Temperature Rise Temperature rise in degrees Centigrade
above ambient. This is an empirical
calculation based on weight.Winding Fill The per cent of the available window height
that is filled , assuming a 10% bulge factor.Exciting Amps Approximate exciting current in amps at the
operating frequency with the maximum operating
voltage and the calculated primary inductance.Primary Inductance Calculated primary inductance in mH.
Flux Density AC flux density that was entered by the designer
on the Core Input form.Flux per DC Amp The calculated flux density that will result from
each Amp of DC current (or DC unbalance) in
the primary winding.Air Gap Air gap in inches that was entered by the designer
on the Core Input form.AC Permeability AC permeability that was entered by the designer
on the Core Input form.DC Permeability DC permeability that was entered by the designer on
the Core Input form.Core Watts/Pound Core dissipation in Watts/pound that was entered by
the designer on the Core Input form.Total Height w/Build Total height of a EI or other shape, consisting of the
stack height plus twice the build. Meaningless for Pot Cores.Core Dissipation Power dissipation in the core alone, one component of
the total dissipation.Total Build Total accumulated build of all windings
Fabrication Results Form:
The Fab Results form lists entered and calculated data which is useful mainly in manufacturing. However,
some of the parameters can be valuable to the designer when optimizing the design.Wind. No. The winding number is assigned by the program,
starting with the primary.Turns Calculated turns of each winding.
No. Layers Number of layers for each winding.
Inch Build Build of each separate winding, in inches.
Ft. Length Length of wire for each individual winding in
feet.Conductor Conductor description entered by designer on
Winding Input form.Weight Individual winding weight.
Ohms/Side Resistance of one side of a center-tapped winding
or end-to-end of a non center-tapped winding.Dissipation Individual winding power dissipation in
watts.
Watts/Pound
Calculated dissipation of each winding divided by
the winding weight to aid decisions about which
winding to change.
CM/Amp
Circular mills of cross section of each winding
conductor divided by the current in the conductor
to aid in decisions about which winding to change.
% Reg
Per cent regulation of each individual winding. Useful
for circuit design and power distribution purposes.
MLT in In Mean length of turn for each individual winding in inches.
I RMS RMS current in each individual winding entered by the
designer on the Winding Input form.
Sample Designs:
To illustrate the flexibility of the program, several sample designs are included on the CD (files with the .dio extension). Examples include the following:
Laminations: P1F60W3
U-Core P50F200W2
Pot Core: P5F30W2
8 Windings: P379F60W8
Litz Wire: CLITZXFR
Copper Strip: CAPCHPWR
High Power: P1200F70KW2
C-Core: P750F400W2
Inductor: L32I10W1
Proximity Effects:
The ratio of AC resistance to DC resistance dur to skin depth and proximity effects are calculated by this program. After the initial calculation using DC resistance, the winding resistances can be adjusted to the AC values and another calculation can be made. The results show the affects of the increased resistance.
