This paper presents the implementation of a thermal camera for the quantitative estimation of power losses in a high frequency planar transformer (100 kHz/ 5600 VA). The methodology is based on the observation of the transient temperature rise and determination of the power losses by means of curves representing the derivative of temperature as a function of power losses dissipated in the transformer. First, the thermal calibration characteristics had to be obtained from a simple experiment, where power losses are generated by DC current in the ferrite core and windings. Next, experimental investigations focused on the determination of the transformer power losses for a short circuit and no load, with a resistive load and with the rectifier as a load were carried out. Finally, to verify the obtained results, analytical calculations based on Dowell’s and modified Steinmetz’s equations were additionally made, which showed a good convergence. The proposed method is easy to implement and can be used as an alternative to the calorimetric method which is time-consuming and requires a complicated measurement setup.

This paper presents an analysis of electric vehicle charging station operation based on a dual active bridge topology. Two cases are considered: one with the use of a medium frequency planar transformer, the other with a conventional Litz winding transformer. An analysiswas performed using both solutions in order to compare the performance characteristics of the system for both cases and to present the differences between each transformer solution. The analysis was based on tests carried out on the full-scale model of an electric vehicle charging station, which is the result of the project "Electric vehicle charging system integrated with lighting infrastructure" realized by the Department of Drives and Electrical Machines, Lublin University of Technology. The results presented in the paper show that the conventional transformer used in the research achieved better results than the planar transformer. Based on the results obtained, the validity of using both solutions in electric vehicle charging stations was considered.