Method, Test Procedure and System for the Experimental Characterization of Power Inductors

This paper discusses a novel patented approach for the experimental characterization of power inductors, operating under the typical operating conditions of hard-switching DC-DC power converters. The proposed approach is based on the application of a target performance tracking concept, realized using the 'perturb-and-observe' criterion. The methodology is inherently safe and automatizes the detection of the subset of feasible operating conditions ensuring that the component under test fits a given performance target. The results presented in this paper refer to the characterization of two commercial power inductors and show the wide range of power converter optimization opportunities offered by the new patented approach.