5 Optimization of the Power Inductor of a DC/DC Converter

In this chapter, we are interested in the study of power inductors, which are very important elements in the DC/DC converter. The performance of the converters is therefore a function of that of the inductors. In the same way, during a commissioning test, the ferrite of the inductor breaks, which represents a challenge for developers and manufacturers. After the thermomechanical modeling of the system by the finite element method using the Comsol Multiphysics software, it was found that the equivalent stresses within the ferrite exceed the value of the limit of elasticity which leads to the rupture of the ferrite. Therefore, we will develop an optimization approach by the KA-CMA-ES method, to minimize the effect of equivalent stresses in the structure. This approach is based on the coupling between two models: the finite element model with Comsol Multiphysics and the optimization model using the software Matlab. After the application of our approach, we succeeded in minimizing the stresses equivalent to a value less than the elastic limit and consequently the correct operation of the inductors during the entire test period.