Inductor apparatus and method of manufacture thereof
View Patent ↗The invention comprises an electrical apparatus and method of manufacture. The apparatus includes a substantially annular inductor comprising an inductor core composed of at least a distributed gap material. The distributed gap material includes particles of alternating layers of magnetic and non-magnetic materials separated by a gap material. The particles comprise an average layer thickness of less than about one hundred micrometers, where a majority of said layered particles comprise an average cross sectional size of less than about one millimeter. The inductor is cooled using at least one of: a thermally conductive potting material, a liquid coolant in direct contact with the inductor, a cooling line through the potting material or liquid coolant, and a chill coil in a container about the potting material and/or the liquid coolant.
1. An electrical apparatus, comprising:
a substantially annular inductor, said inductor comprising:
an inductor core comprising at least a distributed gap material, said distributed gap material comprising a plurality of particles,
wherein each of said plurality of particles comprises at least four alternating layers, said alternating layers alternating between a magnetic material layer and a substantially non-magnetic material layer, and
wherein an average gap distance between two adjacent particles of said plurality of particles is greater than zero and less than one millimeter; and
at least one of:
an inductor core coating substantially coating at least a portion of said inductor core;
an inductor winding circumferentially wound about at least a portion of said inductor core; and
an inductor winding coating substantially coating at least a portion of said inductor winding; and
a liquid coolant directly contacting said inductor.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a filler between said plurality of particles, said filler comprising at least one of a thermosetting polymer and an epoxy.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an innermost particle of said plurality of coated particles comprises a non-magnetic particle.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an innermost particle of said plurality of coated particles comprises a magnetic particle.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said magnetic material layer comprises an alloy, said alloy comprising at least two percent of a form of aluminum.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said magnetic material layer comprises an alloy, said alloy comprising a metalloid, said metalloid comprising a form of at least one of boron, germanium, arsenic, antimony, and tellurium.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of particles comprise and average cross-sectional length of less than one millimeter.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
air pockets between said plurality of particles.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , said distributed gap material comprising a substantially even distribution in said inductor core.