To achieve higher power density, converters and components must be able to handle higher voltage and current ratings at higher percentages of efficiency while also maintaining low cost and a compact footprint. To meet such demands, medium-voltage resonant converters have been favored by researchers for their ability to operate at higher switching frequencies. High frequency (HF) operation enables soft switching which, when achieved, reduces switching losses via either zero voltage switching (ZVS) or zero current switching (ZCS) depending on the converter topology. In addition to lower switching losses, the converter operates with low harmonic waveforms which produce less EMI compared to their hard switching counterparts. Finally, these resonant converters can be more compact because higher switching frequencies imply decreased volume of passive components. The passive component which benefits the most from this increased switching frequency is the transformer. The objective of this work is to design a >400 kHz, 100 kW transformer which will provide galvanic isolation in a Solid-State Transformer (SST) based PEBBs while maintaining high efficiency, high power density, and reduced size. This work aims to present a simplified design process for high frequency transformers, highlighting the trade-offs between co-dependent resonant converter and transformer parameters and how to balance them during the design process. This work will also demonstrate a novel high frequency transformer insulation design to achieve a partial discharge inception voltage (PDIV) of >10 kV. / Master of Science / As the world's population expands and countries progress, the demand for electricity that is high-powered, highly efficient, and dependable has increased exponentially. Further, it is integral to the longevity of global life that this development occurs in a fashion that mitigates environmental consequences. The power and technology sectors have been challenged to address the state of global environmental affairs, specifically regarding climate change, carbon dioxide emissions, and resource depletion. To move away from carbon emitting, non-renewable energy sources and processes, renewable energy sources and electric power systems must be integrated into the power grid. However, the challenge lies in the fact that there is not an easy way to interface between these renewable sources and the existing power grid. Such challenges have undermined the widespread adoption of renewable energy systems that are needed to address environmental issues in a timely manner. Recent developments in power electronics have enabled the practical application of the solid-state transformer (SST). The SST aims to replace the current, widespread form of power transformation: the line frequency transformer (50/60 Hz). This transformer is bulky, expensive, and requires a significant amount of additional circuitry to interface with renewable energy sources and electric power systems. The SST overcomes these drawbacks through high frequency operation (>200 kHz) which enables higher power at a reduced size by capitalizing on the indirect proportionality between the two parameters. The realization of the SST and its implementation has the ability to greatly advance the electrification of the transportation industry which is a top contributor to carbon emissions. This work aims to demonstrate a >400 kHz, 100 kW SST with a novel magnetic design and insulation structure suited for electric ship applications.

The advent and proliferation of planar technologies for power converters are driven in part by the overall trends in analog and digital electronics. These trends coupled with the demands for increasingly higher power quality and tighter regulations raise various design challenges. Because inductors and transformers constitute a rather large part of the overall converter volume, size and performance improvement of these structures can subsequently enhance the capability of power converters to meet these application-driven demands. Increasing the switching frequency has been the traditional approach in reducing converter size and improving performance. However, the increase in switching frequency leads to increased power loss density in windings and core, with subsequent increase in device temperature, parasitics and electromagnetic radiation. An accurate set of reduced-order modeling methodologies is presented in this work in order to predict the high-frequency behavior of inductors and transformers. Analytical frequency-dependent expressions to predict losses in planar, foil windings and cores are given. The losses in the core and windings raise the temperature of the structure. In order to ensure temperature limitation of the structure is not exceeded, 1-D thermal modeling is undertaken. Based on the losses and temperature limitation, a methodology to optimize performance of magnetics is outlined. Both numerical and analytical means are employed in the extraction of transformer parasitics and cross-coupling. The results are compared against experimental measurements and are found to be in good accord. A simple near-field electromagnetic shield design is presented in order to mitigate the amount of radiation. Due to inadequacy of existing winding technology in forming suitable planar windings for PCB application, an alternate winding scheme is proposed which relies on depositing windings directly onto the core. / Master of Science