4D PowerCoil – New Dimension of Wound Inductor Performance Optimization

BLOCK has announced the introduction of its PowerCoil edgewise winding technology which provides unprecedented variability in the design of inductive wound products. BLOCK's new in-house developed winding technology called “4D PowerCoil” is taking performance optimization of inductive winding products into a new dimension.

The extraordinary variability in the design of the winding structure comes with a number of benefits for winding products: Optimal cooling by maximizing the heat-emitting conductor surface while also creating cooling ducts via the winding structure and minimal proximity losses with rising switching frequencies are just some of the strengths of this state-of-the-art technology.

State-of-the-art technology has been specially developed and constructed to produce this new type of winding design which offers designers a multitude of advantages including optimal cooling effect by maximizing the heat-emitting conductor surface while simultaneously creating cooling ducts via the winding structure and minimal proximity losses with rising switching frequencies.

Designers can now utilize the benefits of increased power density while at the same time reducing manufacturing costs. Mains reactors and sinusoidal filters as well as other inductive winding products are the first product ranges to benefit from the new BLOCK technology.

Dave Wellman, Sales Manager of BLOCK UK, comments; “Our new in-house developed winding technology, 4D PowerCoil, is taking performance optimization of inductive winding products into a new dimension. The extraordinary variability in the design of the winding structure comes with a number of benefits for wound products.”

The combination of increased conductor surface, spread of the winding, and cooling ducts created via the winding structure enables optimal cooling of the entire product. The new winding technology 4D PowerCoil shows off its strengths with forced air cooling in particular, taking the performance optimization of inductive winding products into new dimension.

controllable field distribution for low partial discharge

Varying the conductor spacing in the winding structure effectively reduces proximity losses in the conductor that are generated by ripple currents from switching frequencies, particularly as frequency increases.

This effect is significant, especially for future applications of SiC- and GaN-based semiconductor technologies. It also represents a potentially cost-effective alternative to the use of expensive high-frequency litz wires in conventional winding technologies.

Thanks to the new 4D PowerCoil edgewise winding technology high inductivity can be realized with a single-layer winding structure. The benefit is that additional layer insulation, and possibly even basic insulation to the core, is not needed. Aging effects in the insulation materials – as are typical with the conventional structure of inductive winding products – no longer occur, which maximizes service life.

minimized proximity effect through optimized winding structure (click on graph to enlarge)

Due to the variable configurability of its winding structure, the new 4D PowerCoil edgewise winding technology from BLOCK can adapt accurately to the core geometry and prevailing flow conditions of the air cooling system.

The specific winding structure results in more or fewer parasitic capacitances and, therefore, in the case of transient overvoltages, differences in potential between the individual windings. This can damage the conductor insulation, potentially leading to a winding short.

4D PowerCoil variably controls such parasitic capacitance – and, thus, the potential across the winding – through the partial spreading of individual winding sections. This prevents damage to the conductor insulation and accordingly any winding shorts.

Due to the flexible design of the winding structure a maximum of the conductor’s heat-emitting surface is exposed to the prevailing cool air flow. The result is a high current density and efficient use of the conductive material (CU or AL), reducing structural volume, weight and costs.

Summary of Features:

• Cool
  • excellent heat dissipation achieved by our all new winding technology
• Low Losses
  • reduced proximity effect losses due to optimized winding design
• Free Style
  • BLOCK winding technology 4D PowerCoil allows free geometrical shaping
• Long Life
  • maximum reliability by using minimum insulation material
• Potential Control
  • controllable electrical field for low partial discharge
• Forced Cooling
  • highest current densities achievable due to expanded winding surface