A PCB system integration concept for power electronics

Abstract

Abstract
Current passive components construction technologies and power converters manufacturing methods are the main barriers limiting the power density improvement. In this paper a new PCB system integration concept for power converters construction - power sandwich, that allows for a high density packaging, effective thermal management and automated manufacturing is introduced. In the Power sandwich integration concept new passive components, x-dimension components, having the same height (x) and double sided electrical terminations are stacked between planar substrates and soldered on two sides. Depending on the number of stack layers (x-layers) and the components loss density, various arrangements in the power sandwich converter is possible. A power sandwich demonstrator, 70 W flyback converter, is designed and implemented using modified standard components representing the prototype of x-dimension components. The spatial and thermal designs are discussed in detail and the experimental results of the first power sandwich demonstrator are shown.