12. Transformer Design

In the design methods of the previous chapter, copper loss P _cu and maximum flux density B _max are specified, while core loss P _fe is not specifically addressed. This approach is appropriate for a number of applications, such as the filter inductor in which the dominant design constraints are copper loss and saturation flux density. However, in a substantial class of applications, the operating flux density is limited by core loss rather than saturation. For example, in a conventional high-frequency transformer, it is usually necessary to limit the core loss by operating at a reduced value of the peak ac flux density ΔB.