Design and Thermal Analysis of a High-Voltage HighFrequency Transformer

High-voltage high-frequency (HVHF) transformers are one of the crucial components in HVDC power supplies. However, they occupy more space, and compared to other components in the system, they experience more energy losses. HVHF transformers need special attention to both thermal and electrical properties, mainly because of the use of ferrite cores. Ferrite materials show temperature-dependent properties, and transformer efficiency, reliability, and safety are enormously affected by the thermal behavior of ferrite cores. At high operating temperatures, the core performance may be reduced, leading to an increase in total losses and a decrease in the insulation life. Therefore, for optimal transformer design, it is very crucial to select an appropriate core material and predict its thermal behavior accurately. This article focuses on the thermal analysis and modeling of a 10 kVA, 500V/11 kV HVHF transformer using ANSYS simulation tools. Finite element analysis (FEA) is used to calculate the core losses and temperature distribution, enabling a deeper understanding of thermal limitations and design choices.