Design of Power Converters by Optimization Under Multiphysic Constraints: Application to a Two-Time-Scale AC/DC–DC Converter

The aim of this paper is to present an optimization-under-constraints approach to design power converters. In fact, the time-domain simulation is very useful to evaluate the performances of power converters when the design solution area of the studied converter is much reduced due to the designer´s experience and when only few design aspects are considered. However, the design of today´s power converters is more and more complicated because it needs to consider multiphysic and multidomain constraints. In this context, a design approach using optimization under constraints allows exploring a large solution area by considering the multiphysic aspect and a high number of optimization parameters. In this way, this paper proposes the use of analytical models to carry out a compromise between the model accuracy and the computing time when optimizing power converters under volume, electromagnetic compatibility, efficiency, thermal, and control constraints. This approach is applied to optimize a two-time-scale flyback converter. The optimized converter is implemented, and the proposed approach is validated by measurements.