Audio Transformer Design Manual ROBERT G. WOLPERT 7 1 tv 1 ] ] ] ] 1 tA L I " | ] | 4 cr i]PREFACE This manual is intended to show how to design and manufacture audia transformers. Tt will explain the various things that have to be considered and the problems that will be encountered in achieving the desired results. It will show how ta design to meet the requirements, and give examples and test results. It will also give methods of manufacturing ta achieve the results desired, with some of the things that will prevent the design from being successful. This manual is written with the assumption that the designer has experience in the design of power transformers. Therefore it covers only those manufacturing techniques that are different and necessary to achieve the proper results in an audio transformer. If the designer needs more information on the construction methods, the TRANSFORMER DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING MANUAL published by the author in 1984, or some other publication, should be consulted. The appendix will have various tables and charts to assist in the design of the transformers. ROBERT G. WOLPERT Transformer Design Service: 5200 Irvine Blvd. #107 Irvine, CA. 92720 714-838-6817 © 1989 ROBERT G. WOLPERT.CONTENTS: Symbols used. Part I. Design Considerations. Chapter 1, General Requirements. ---~-----------------—-— 1.1 Frequency response. —-—-~- 4.2 Impedances, -- 1.3 Power level. 1.4 Total harmonic distortion. —-- 1-5 Direct current in windings. 1.6 Hum reduction. - 1.7 Longitudinal balance. 1.8 Insertion loss. ----- Chapter 2. Low Frequency response, -~-—-- 2.1 Open circuit inductance. -—- 2.2 Primary valtage and current. - 2.3 Secondary voltage and current. 2.4 Core size and material. - —mmwwmmeet 11 Chapter 3. ‘High Frequency Response. -------~-~-~~-- 3.1 Interleaving the winding. 3.2 Leakage inductance. —- Chapter 4. Special Requirement: 4.1 Total Harmonic distortion. ~~-~--——-- 15 weenwenmmene 15 4.2 Shielding for hum reduction. 4.3 Longitudinal balance, ----~--~~-— 4,4 Insertion lot Chapter 5. Design Methods. 5.1 Flux density. — 5.2 Construction suggestions. 5.3 Calculating the physical parameters, PART II. DESIGN EXAMPLES. -- Example #1. Voice frequency telephone transformer. Example #2. Audio output transformer .---- Example #3. Line to voice coil transformer.i APPENDIX, 1 DB-Watts table. Wire table. Lamination table. Total harmonic distortion table. Wire size ~ turns - lamination tables.Ac = B= El = Ez = Foe FL = Fz = H = rs In = K toe & MLT= Ni = Nz = nN « Ri = Rae Rt = s = Tos Uac* Woe WL Z = Zer ' SYMBOLS USED Effective area of core in sq. inch Flux density in Gauss. Primary voltage. Secondary voltage. Frequency. Low frequency limit. High frequency limit. Winding build up. Primary current in ampere: Secondary current in amperes. Stacking factor. Primary open circuit inductance in Henrys. Leakage inductance in Henrys. Hean length turn in inche: Primary turns. Secondary turns. Number of layers. DC resistance of primary. DC resistance of secondary. — lotal or normalized resistanc Number of sections or interleaves. Thickness of insulation in inches Incremental permeability of core material. Power in Watts. Winding length in inches. Primary impedance. Secondary impedance = Total or normalized impedance.ae AUDIO IRANSFORMER DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING METHODS. PART I. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS. CHAPTER 1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS. By definition, an audio transformer is designed to operate within the audio range of frequencies. However, the upper and lower limits are extended beyond the audio range for many uses. For example, usage in high fidelity circuits might desire a range from 10 Hz to 30000 Hz or higher, while a telephone transformer could have a range from 30 Hz to 3000 Hz. The frequency range, both high and low limits, will determina to a great extent, the design and mathod of manufacture. Transformers designed to work at audio frequencies can be put into three general catagories. th are input, output, and impedance matching. Actually the only differences between these is the usage and the impedance ratios. They all can be considered as impedance matching transformers, as they are used to transmit Signals from oné impedance to another impedance either higher or lower or sometimes, when isolation only is desired, between equal impedances. There are several things ta be considered in the design of audio transformer: @. Frequency respon: b. Impedances. c. Power level. d. THD or total harmonic distortion. e. Value of D.C. in windings, if any. #. Hum reduction level if required. Q- Longitudinal balance. #. Insertion loss.1 In addition the flux density of the core material must be considered in order to not operate the core into saturation, 1.1 FREQUENCY RESPONSE. The frequency response of a transformer is that range of frequencies that is desired ta be passed. It is desirable to have the same response or voltage level of all frequencies within this range. The extremes of the range will fall off. Ihese are usually called out as a range of DB, such as +3 DB or +1 DB etc. This means that all the voltages between the two extremes will not vary more than the limits shown, The variations called out will usually be referred to a certain frequency in the center of the response, Usually this will be 1000 Hz for audio transformers, Thus if a certain valtage or DB level is called out for 1000 Hz, then all frequencies within the range should be within the limits of + 3 DB or + 1 DB or whatever is required. The -3 DB frequencies will have a voltage level that is 70.7% of the voltage at the middle of the frequency rang The best way to m ure the response is to use a meter that is calibrated in DB, rather than trying to calculate the DB from the voltage levels. However the DB can be calculated from the voltages by using the following formul 08=20L06 fo ° Ew The lower Limit of the frequency range is controlled by the primary inductance. This will fall off 3 db at the frequency where the inductive reactance of the primary equals the primary impedance. It will fall off 1 db at two times the primaryimpedance, and 0.8 db at approximately 4 times the primary impedance. The following formulae are used. = 4L- L= sR = 308 = 2% CS orp =~! 08 = 42 C= stip = ~—05p8 Where: L = primary inductance. Z = primary impedance. F = lower frequency desired, The upper frequency will be down 3DB where the normalized impedance equals the reactance of the leakage inductance. The frequency response can be measured using the circuit in Figure PL AEE Figure 1. Rs = the impedance of the primary. Rl = the impedance of the secondary.—s— TF r the voltage of E1 must be held constant for all frequencies. The eutput voltage, EZ, is then set for a middle frequency, usually 1000 HZ., and the deviation from this voltage is the response over the frequency range. 1.2 . IMPEDANCES. The impedances of both the primary and the secondary must be known, or can be calculated. The impedance ratio is equal to the turns ratio squared and also equal to the voltage ratio squared. 1.3 POWER LEVEL. The operating ‘power level is usually called out. This can be sine wave power or music power. Sine wave power will be approximately three times the effective misic power. the transformer must be able to handle the full voltage and current at any frequency within the operating range for sine wave power. For music power it must handle the full voltage but only one third of the current for heating purposes. This will allow the use of smaller magnet wire and will result in a smaller unit. 1.4 TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION. The total harmonic distortion is mainly a function of the operating flux density in the core at the lowest operating frequency. Reducing the flux density will reduce the distortion. The distortion at a given frequency and flux density will vary with the type of magnetic material used.1.5 DIRECT CURRENT 'IN THE WINDINGS. When ane or more of the windings is required to carry unbalanced direct current, it is necessary to design that winding for the = - proper inductance the same way you would design an inductor carrying direct current. The proper air gap spacer must be put in the magnetic path, This will result in # larger unit than one which does not carry unbalanced direct current. 1.6 HUM REDUCTION. When designing for low level usage, it is often necessary to keep the external fiux fields at a very low level. Levels of - 60db to ~ 80 db requirements are not unusual. This is accomplished by enclosing the unit in a case or cases using high permeability materials. 80% nickel is often used for t of cases using alternate cases of high permeability material and copper may be needed. this application. A single case or a ni 1.7 LONGITUDINAL BALANCE. Longitudinal balance is a measure of a transformer’s balance and ability to prevent longitudinal signals, or signals which have b secondary of the transformer. mn induced in the power line, from being transferred inta the 1.8 INSERTION Loss. Insertion loss is a measure of the power available out of the transformer vs the power inducad into the transformer. CHAPTER 2. LOW FREQUENCY RESPONSE. The requirements of an audio transformer are all inter-related and must all be considered in the design. The first step is to design