Design of planar inductor based Z-source inverter for residential alternate energy sources

This paper deals with a planar inductor design for optimal size reduction of z-source inverters. The smallest possible inductor size is realized through the utilization of the Finite Element method (FEM) and genetic algorithms. Operating condition of the Z-source inverter was set to a point such that it works with a smaller inductance value. We studied the reduction of radiated electromagnetic field as a result of size reduction from the planar inductor design. The resulting planar inductor was co-fired on a ceramic substrate and placed in the inverter circuit. The test results were compared to standard circuit with a normal coil design. The behavior characteristics of the optimally designed planar inductor were verified through experiments.