Power Integration by Multifunctional Molding

电感器和变压器等磁性元件是商用电源不可缺少的部件。虽然它们经常被指责为对更高功率密度的阻碍，但实际上磁体积可能小于未使用空间和产品外壳所占用的体积。如果通过将磁能存储或功能集成到外壳和未使用的空间中来消除分立电感器和变压器，则转换器尺寸将显著缩小。由于外壳通常是通过在电源转换器上模制保护性的非磁性化合物来实现的，因此该项目将追求采用具有磁性的模制材料的创新。 将这种多功能材料模压在变流器上，既形成保护壳，又形成磁性元件，实现“多功能模压功率集成”。学生的亲和力，新材料和整合将利用与他人分享研究机会和成果。建设一个多学科的工程套件，以实现上述愿景，预计将吸引新的本科生进入电气和材料工程和科学，吸引大三和大四学生到研究生院，并促进多样性。该工程套件将作为校园测试设施，用于实验室实验，涵盖磁性材料，模塑树脂，耦合磁场，电力电子电路和顶点设计项目。弗吉尼亚理工大学Scieneering项目的本科生“Scieneers”将与研究生研究助理合作，协助进行模拟和实验验证。该研究的目标是将储能功能集成到功率模块的封装外壳中，从而减少材料使用，并可能简化制造过程。预计将在材料和电气工程，教育和应用方面做出基本贡献。集成机械/化学（保护）和电气（能量存储）功能的封装材料将使用低温和低压合成。为了利用这种材料，将设计具有未开发的电磁特性和设计方法的多磁模块（MMM）。电力电子转换器的设计能力将在磁介质存在的情况下进行评估。将合成转换器拓扑以利用MMM内的场耦合。所有的根本性进步都可能以更少的材料和成本来实现多磁性模块的制造过程。除了上述教育工作外，负载点转换器和电池充电器将被包装成半组装模块，由工程多样性增强中心的高中生在夏季完成，作为弗吉尼亚理工大学努力招募和培训不同背景工程师的一部分。

Magnetic components such as inductors and transformers are indispensable parts of commercial power supplies. Although they are often blamed as a hindrance toward higher power density, the magnetic volumes could actually be less than those occupied by the unused spaces and the product's housing. Converter size will shrink significantly if the discrete inductors and transformers are eliminated by integrating magnetic energy storage or functionalities into the housing and unused spaces. Since the housing is often realized by molding a protective, non-magnetic compound over the power converter, this project will pursue the innovation of incorporating a molding material that has magnetic properties. Molding such multifunctional material over the converter will form both the protective housing and the magnetic components, realizing "power integration by multifunctional molding ". Students affinity to new materials and to integration will be leveraged to share research opportunities and results with others. Construction of a multi-disciplinary engineering suite to realize the visions outlined above is expected to be a magnet attracting new undergraduates into electrical and material engineering and science, enticing juniors and seniors to graduate school, and promoting diversity. The engineering suite will serve as a campus test facility for laboratory experiments covering magnetic materials, molding resins, coupled magnetic fields, power-electronic circuits, and capstone design projects. "Scieneers," undergraduates in Virginia Tech's Scieneering program, will team with graduate research assistants to assist in simulation and experimental validation.The objective of the research is to integrate energy-storage function into the encapsulating case of power module, thereby reducing material usage and possibly simplifying manufacturing process. Fundamental contributions are anticipated in materials and electrical engineering, education, and application. Encapsulation material that integrates mechanical/chemical (protective) and electrical (energy storage) functions are to be synthesized using low temperature and low pressure. Multi-magnetics module (MMM) with unexplored electromagnetic properties and design methodology are to be devised to take advantage of such material. Designability of power-electronic converters are to be assessed the presence of magnetic medium. Converter topologies are to be synthesized to leverage the field couplings inside an MMM. All fundamental advances are to culminate in a manufacturing process of multi-magnetics module with less materials and cost, possibly. In addition to the educational efforts noted above, point-of-load converters and battery chargers will be packaged into semi-assembled modules to be completed by the Center for Enhancement of Engineering Diversity's high school students in the summer as a part of Virginia Tech's effort to recruit and train engineers of diverse backgrounds.