Design, Modeling, and Testing of a Novel Inductor for Electric Vehicles: Iron Nitride Soft Magnetic Composites

Author(s) Information

Cody Krawczyk, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoFollow
Lauren Walker, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoFollow

College - Author 1

College of Engineering

Department - Author 1

Materials Engineering Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BS in Materials Engineering

College - Author 2

College of Engineering

Department - Author 2

Materials Engineering Department

Degree - Author 2

BS in Materials Engineering

Date

6-2024

Primary Advisor

Jean Lee, College of Engineering, Materials Engineering Department

Abstract/Summary

The purpose of this study is to develop a processing method to reduce the porosity of toroidal inductors, whose cores are composed of soft magnetic composites (SMCs) with 65 vol.%, 75 vol.%, and 85 vol.% iron nitride (γ′-Fe₄N) and to validate the results with a COMSOL^TM model. Using hot-pressing as the main process of manufacture, fourteen samples were fabricated and eight were wound with Litz wire. Four samples of 75 vol.% and four samples of 85 vol.% were fabricated by mixing the Fe₄N powder and epoxy at 150^oC and initially pressing at 5 tons and 175^oC. In a second step, the samples were pressed overnight at 5 tons and 193^oC. The optimized processing method increased the density of each toroidal inductor sample by about 7%, increased mixing time, and produced markedly improved surface uniformity. Finally, the COMSOL^TM model of the inductors requires further adjustments to better reflect the measured inductance due to wire gauge and construction. By the completion of this project we fabricated a sample which achieved an inductance of 368.8 μH and a density of 5.15 g/cm³.

URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/matesp/278