Winding Resistance and Power Loss for Inductors

With Litz and Solid-Round Wires

Rafal P. Wojda
ABB Corporate Research Center Krakow, Poland

J [A/mm2]
10
Abstract- An analytical model based on one dimensional 1-D 8.4
Dowell’s equation for computing ac-to-dc winding resistance 7.8
ratio FR of litz wire is presented. The model takes into account 6.6
5.4
proximity effect within the bundle and between bundle layers as 4.2
well as the skin effect. Model describes three frequency ranges: 3.6
2.4
low-, medium-, and high-frequency range. In each of ranges, the 1.2
behavior of the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR is different. 0.1
Moreover, an analytical optimization of the litz-wire winding
strand diameter is performed. The boundary frequency between
the low-frequency and the medium-frequency ranges, are given
for both solid-round-wire and litz-wire windings. Hence, useful
frequency range of both windings can be determined and
compared.

I. INTRODUCTION
High-efficiency and low-power loss inductors improve the
overall efficiency of the entire power system [21]. Power
inductor losses consist of the dc winding loss and the ac
winding and core losses. The dc loss is due to resistance of the
conductor and they can be simply reduced by increasing the Fig. 1. Eddy currents skin effect in solid-round wire and in litz wire at low and
high frequencies.
cross-sectional area of the conductor. The ac winding power
4 ρ w l w 4 ρ w lT N l , (1)
loss in the inductor is caused by eddy currents, as shown in Fig. R wdco = =
1. There are two effects of eddy currents: the skin effect and πd 2 πd 2
the proximity effect [1]-[20], [22]. Both effects are frequency where ȡw=1/ıw is the conductor resistivity, d is the diameter of
dependent and alter the current density in the conductor the solid-round wire, lw is the total winding length, Nl is the
through which the current flows. This dependence can be number of layers, and lT is the mean turn length (MTL). The dc
reduced using a parallel multi-strand wire called the litz wire resistance of a litz wire is
or in German “Litzendraht.” Typically, litz wire consists of 3 4 ρ wlw 4 ρ w lT N l , (2)
R wdcstr = 2
= 2
to thousands of strands in a bundle. Fig. 1 shows that the k π d str k π d str
effective cross-sectional area available for the current flow is where k is the number of strands in the bundle and dstr is the
much higher for litz wire than for the solid-round wire at high diameter of the single bare strand. Equating both resistances in
frequencies. (1) and (2), we obtain
In the paper, the analytical Dowell’s expression for winding 4 ρ w l w 4 ρ w lT N l . (3)
=
resistance of the foil inductor is transformed, to describe the πd 2 k π d str
2

winding resistance of the solid-round-wire and litz-wire

winding inductor. The objectives of this paper are to:
• Describe the model of litz wire;
• Adapt Dowell’s equation for the litz wire model;
• Describe resistance of solid-round wire and litz wire;
• Define boundary point and the boundary frequency
between the low- and medium- frequency ranges for
litz-wire and solid-round-wire windings;
• Perform analytical optimization of strand diameter for
litz wire;
• Compare the resistances of solid and litz wires.
II. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LITZ AND SOLID WIRES
Fig. 2. Transformation of a foil winding to square, round wire, and litz
The dc resistance of a solid-round wire is given by wire. (a) Wide foil winding. (b) Square wire winding. (c) Round wire
winding. (d) Litz wire winding.

l-))) 
 Rearranging equation (3), one obtains the relation between
the diameter of the solid round wire and the diameter of the
single strand
d = d str k . (4)
Hence, the number of strands in the litz wire is given by
2
§ d · . (5)
k = ¨¨ ¸¸
© d str ¹
III. TRANSFORMATION OF FOIL CONDUCTOR TO SQUARE
AND ROUND CONDUCTORS

In general, the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR of the

multi-layer inductor can be expressed using one-dimensional
model (1-D) described by Dowell’s equation [1]
Rw sinh( 2 A ) + sin( 2 A )
FR = = A Fig. 3. 3-D plot of ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR as functions of
R wdc cosh( 2 A ) − cos( 2 A ) frequency f and number of layers Nl for inductors made of a solid-round wire
2 of diameter d = 0.25 mm and p = 0.3 mm.
2( N l − 1) sinh( A) − sin( A) 2
+A . (6) §d ·
h =π¨ ¸ ,
2 (10)
3 cosh( A) + cos( A)
©2¹
Originally, Dowell’s equation was derived for an inductor
wound only with a wide foil conductor and a one turn on the
yielding the effective height of the equivalent square conductor
inductor layer. However, using conductor cross-sectional area
transformation, it is possible to adapt Dowell’s equation for d π . (11)
h=
any conductor shape and multiple turns in each layer. A 2
transformation of foil winding to various shapes is depicted in Substituting (11) into (7) gives effective diameter of the
Fig. 2. solid-round conductor normalized with respect to the skin
The porosity factor Ș = h/p or a layer fill factor, allows to depth [5]
convert one sheet of foil conductor, into several equivalent h h §π ·
0.75
d d §π ·
0.75
d
conductors in each layer, ensuring that the dc resistance Rwdc Ao = =¨ ¸ =¨ ¸ η (12)
of winding remains unchanged. The equivalence of a porous δw p ©4¹ δw p ©4¹ δw
layer to non-porous layer can be accomplished by stretching where d is the diameter of the bare solid-round wire, p is the
the porous conductor by a factor of 1/Ș and reducing the pitch, and Ș is the porosity factor. For the litz wire the effective
resistivity of the porous layer conductor by a factor Ș. The diameter of the strand normalized with respect to the skin depth
width of the wide foil conductor is bwf and the thickness is h. is given by
For a square wire conductor, the width of conductor is equal to 0.75 0.75
its thickness h. The wire thickness h normalized with respect §π · d η §π · d d
A = Astr = ¨ ¸ =¨ ¸ . (13)
to the skin depth įw is ©4¹ δw k ©4¹ δw pk
h h h Fig. 3 shows a 3-D plot of the ac-to-dc resistance ratio FR as
A = As = = η . (7) functions of frequency f and number of layers Nl for the solid-
p δw δw round wire of a diameter d = 0.25 mm and pitch p = 0.3 mm.
The skin depth is described by Fig. 4 shows plots of FR as a function of frequency f for solid-
2 1 ρw , (8) round-wire winding inductors with several layers Nl, diameter
δw = = =
ωμ 0σ w π f μ 0σ w πfμ 0 of bare wire d = 0.25 mm, and pitch p = 0.3 mm. It can be seen
that there are three frequency ranges: low-frequency range,
where μ0 is the free space permeability and f is the operating
medium-frequency range, and high-frequency range. In the
frequency. The dc winding resistance of the square wire
low-frequency range, the diameter of the wire d is much lower
conductor is
than the skin depth įw, the current density in the wire is
ρ w l w ρ w lT N l . (9) uniform, the skin and the proximity effects can be neglected,
R wdc = =
h2 h2 and therefore, the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR § 1. In
To adapt Dowell’s equation for a round wire winding, a the medium-frequency range, the current density is no longer
round conductor can be approximated by a square conductor uniform. Hence, the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR
of the same cross-sectional area. This approximation will increases with increasing frequency f. Moreover, it can be seen
guarantee that the dc resistance of the round and square wire that increasing the number of layers Nl reduces the low-
conductors remains unchanged. Therefore, equating the cross-
frequency range, i.e., the boundary between the low and
sectional area of the square conductor to the cross-sectional
medium frequency ranges decreases as the number of layers Nl
area of the round conductor, one obtains
increases. In the high-frequency range, the current flows only
near the surface of the wire. However, the rate of increase of


 1.4

1.2

0.8

AoB
0.6

0.4

0.2

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nl

Fig. 4. Ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR as a function of frequency f for Fig. 5. Exact and approximate (continuous line) boundary between low and
inductors made of solid-round wire of diameter d = 0.25 mm with Nl = 1, 2, 4, medium values of AoB for the solid wire as a function of Nl.
6, and 9 layers, and pitch p = 0.3 mm
5N l2 − 1 4
FR in the high-frequency range is lower than the rate of increase FRB = 1 + Ao = 1.05 . (18)
of FR in the medium-frequency range. 45
Fig. 5 shows an exact and approximate boundary between
IV. APPROXIMATION OF DOWELL’S EQUATION
low and medium values of AoB as a function of Nl. Solving (18),
Dowell’s equation is a complex equation that consists of one obtains the boundary between the low and medium values
hyperbolic and trigonometric functions. Due to the complexity, of d
the analytical optimization of the winding size (thickness or 4
9δ w p 2
diameter) using Dowell’s equation is impossible and therefore, d oB = 3
. (19)
§π ·
4¨ ¸ (5N l2 − 1)
winding optimization has to be performed numerically. 6

Approximation of Dowell’s equation must be derived in order

©4¹
to perform analytical optimization. Expanding Dowell’s
equation into Maclaurin’s series one obtains the polynomial Therefore, from (19) the boundary frequency between the
approximation of skin and proximity effects. The skin effect low and medium-frequency ranges of the ac-to-dc winding
described by Dowell’s equation can be approximated by resistance ratio for the solid-round-wire windings is
1 2 3 12 ρ w p 1
FS ≈ + A . f oB =
πμ0d B π (5N l2 − 1)
(14) 3 3
. (20)
A 15
The proximity effect described by Dowell’s equation can be
approximated by VI. TRANSFORMATION OF ROUND TO MULTISTRAND
LITZ CONDUCTORS
1 3
FP ≈ A . (15) Fig. 6 shows the model of the litz wire winding in the
6
multilayer inductor. The winding consist of Nl bundle layers.
Therefore, the approximate ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio
Each bundle contains k strands. The number of sub-layers in
is
each bundle is ξ݇. Therefore, the effective number of layers in
ª1 2 N 2 − 1 A3 º 5N l2 + 1 4 the inductor (Fig. 6) is given by:
FR ≈ A« + A3 + l = 1 + A . (16)
¬ A 15 3 3 »¼ 45 N ll = N l k . (21)
However, to get more accurate calculations, eq. (16) is
modified and will be used in subsequent sections
5N l2 − 1 4
FR = 1 + A. (17)
45
V. BOUNDARY BETWEEN LOW AND MEDIUM
FREQUENCY RANGES FOR SOLID-ROUND-WIRE-
WINDINGS
The boundary point between low and medium values of Ao
for the round wire is defined here as 5% above the value of the
low-frequency factor FR, i.e. at FR = 1.05. Fig. 6. Models of solid-round-wire and litz-wire windings.


 This model will be used in subsequent analysis. The ac
winding resistance for a litz-wire winding inductor, caused by
both skin effect and proximity effects, can be described by
Dowell’s equation [1, 16-22]
R wstr sinh( 2 Astr ) + sin( 2 Astr )
FR = = Astr
R wdcstr cosh( 2 Astr ) − cos( 2 Astr )
2
2( N ll − 1) sinh( Astr ) − sin( Astr )
+ Astr
3 cosh( Astr ) + cos( Astr )
sinh( 2 Astr ) + sin( 2 Astr )
= Astr
cosh( 2 Astr ) − cos( 2 Astr )
2
2( N l k − 1) sinh( Astr ) − sin( Astr )
+ Astr , (22)
3 cosh( Astr ) + cos( Astr )
where Astr for litz wire is given by (13).
Fig. 7. 3-D plot of ac-to-dc resistance ratio FR as a function of frequency f and
Fig. 7 shows a 3-D plot of the ac-to-dc winding resistance number of layers Nl for inductors made of litz wire with bundle diameter d =
ratio FR as a function of frequency f and number of layers Nl 0.25 mm, k = 1000, and p = 9.5 μm.
for litz wire composed of 1000 strands (k = 1000) with bare
strand diameter dstr = 7.9 ȝm, and pitch p = 9.5 μm. Fig. 8
shows plots of the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR as a
function of frequency f for 1000 strand litz wire with bare
strand diameter dstr = 7.9 ȝm, and pitch p = 9.5 μm. An exact
and approximate boundary values between low and medium
values of AstrB of the strand as a function of Nl for a litz wire is
the same as for the solid-round wire.
Fig. 7 shows a 3-D plot of the ac-to-dc winding resistance
ratio FR as a function of frequency f and number of layers Nl
for litz wire composed of 1000 strands (k = 1000) with bare
strand diameter dstr = 7.9 ȝm, and pitch p = 9.5 μm. Fig. 8
shows plots of the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio FR as a
function of frequency f for 1000 strand litz wire with bare
strand diameter dstr = 7.9 ȝm, and pitch p = 9.5 μm. An exact
and approximate boundary values between low and medium
values of AstrB of the strand as a function of Nl for a litz wire is
the same as for the solid-round wire.
For the litz-wire winding, eq. (22) can be approximated and Fig. 8. Ac-to-dc resistance ratio FR as a function of frequency for inductors with
is given by Nl layers and made of litz wire of a bundle diameter d = 0.25 mm, k = 1000, and
p = 9.5 μm.
5N ll2 − 1
FR = 1 + Astr . (23)
45 Thus the ratio of boundary frequency between the low and
the medium frequency ranges for the litz wire winding (20) to
VII. BOUNDARY BETWEEN LOW AND MEDIUM the boundary frequency of the solid-round wire winding (25)
FREQUENCY RANGES FOR LITZ WIRE WINDINGS yields the frequency range, where the litz wire winding
The approximate boundary point between low and medium conducts a uniform current density in the conductor cross-
values of boundary strand diameter dstrB for the litz wire is sectional area
expressed by f strB
≈ k. (26)
4
9δ w p 2 f oB
d strB = 3
. (24)
Fig. 9 shows plots of FR as a function of frequency for solid
§π ·
4¨ ¸ (5N l2 k − 1)
6
bare wire of diameter d = 0.25 mm and twenty-strand litz wire
©4¹ (k = 20) of the bare strand diameter dstr = 55.9 μm, pitch p =
The boundary frequency between the low and the medium 67.1 μm, and six-layers (Nl = 6). It can be seen that the low-
frequency ranges for the litz wire winding is expressed as frequency range for solid-round wire is lower than for the litz
12 ρ w p 1 wire. Note that for the litz wire the frequency at which ac-to-
f strB = . (25) dc winding resistance ratio is equal FR = 1.05 is approximately
πμ 0 d strB
3
π (5N l2 k − 1)
3
20 higher than the frequency at which the ac-to-dc winding
resistance ratio of the solid wire is equal to 1.05.


 Fig. 9. Plots of FR as a function of frequency for solid wire of diameter d = Fig. 10. Ratio of the ac-to-dc winding resistance of litz wire with 20 strands
0.25 mm and for 20 strand litz wire of bare strand diameter dstr = 55.9 μm, (k = 20), to the ac-to-dc winding resistance of equivalent solid-round wire
pitch p = 67.1 μm, and six-layers Nl = 6. as a function of frequency f, for the six-layer inductor (Nl = 6).

VIII. OPTIMIZATION OF THE LITZ WIRE WINDINGS

Fig. 10 shows the ratio of the ac-to-dc winding resistance
ratio of the litz wire with twenty strands (k = 20) to the ac-to-
dc winding ratio resistance of equivalent solid-round wire of
bare wire diameter d = 0.25 mm, as a function of frequency f
for six-layer inductor (Nl = 6). It can be seen that for the low-
frequency range, below frequency fl = 4.32 kHz, the litz wire
is similar to the solid-round wire. In the medium-frequency
range, the ratio decreases and reaches the minimum for
frequency fopt § 360 kHz. At the optimum frequency fopt, the
litz wire resistance is ten times lower than the resistance of the
solid-round wire. For the high frequency range, the ratio
increases and at frequency fH § 2.9 MHz the litz wire resistance
is equal to the resistance of solid wire. Above the frequency 29
MHz, the resistance of the litz wire is approximately five times
greater than the resistance of the solid-round wire with the
same copper cross-sectional area. This is because the litz wire
has more effective layers, and therefore, the proximity effect is Fig. 11. Plots of the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratios FR for a solid-round
stronger than in the solid-round wire winding. wire and litz wire as functions of frequency f for the solid-round wire of a
diameter d = 0.25 mm with pitch p = 0.3 mm for 25 strand litz wire (k = 25)
The approximate winding ac resistance can be described by of single-layer inductor (Nl = 1).
4 ρ wlw § 1 π 3 (5N ll2 − 1)d 4 ·
Rw = ¨ + ¸ . (27) layer inductor (Nl = 1). Fig. 12 shows the ac-to-dc winding
πk ¨© d 2 2880δ 4 p 2 k 2 ¸¹ resistance ratio FR as a function of frequency for solid-round
wire of diameter d = 0.25 mm and ac-to-dc winding resistance
Taking the derivative of (27) and equating it to zero one ratio FR as a function of frequency f for litz wire with k = 25,
obtains the optimum strand diameter at which the minimum of 75, 200 for the six-layer inductor (Nl = 6). It can be seen that
the ac wining resistance occurs there is a frequency range in which litz wire has lower ac-to-
dc winding resistance ratio than the solid-round wire.
1440δ 4 p 2 k 2 . (28) However, the litz wire becomes more resistive than the solid
d str ( opt ) = 6
π 3 (5N ll2 − 1) wire above a certain frequency. It can be seen that the low
frequency range increases with increasing the number of
IX. LITZ AND SOLID ROUND WIRE RESISTANCES AT HIGH strands.
FREQUENCIES
X. CONCLUSIONS
Fig. 11 depicts plots of the ac-to-dc winding resistance
ratios FR for the solid-round wire and litz wire as a function of In the paper, the analysis of winding resistances for litz and
frequency f for the solid-round wire diameter d = 0.25 mm with solid-round wires has been presented. Dowell’s equation has
p = 0.3 mm and for 25 strand litz wire (k = 25) of the single- been adapted to the litz wire, using cross-sectional area
transformation. As a result, the analytical expression for the ac-


to-dc winding resistance ratio of a litz wire has been obtained. [13] J. Acero, P. Hernandez, J. M. Burdio, R. Alonso, and L. A. Barragan,
“Simple resistance calculation in litz-wire planar windings for induction
The given expression describes three frequency ranges for litz cooking appliances,” IEEE Transaction on Magnetics, vol. 41, no. 4, pp.
wire: low, medium, and high-frequency ranges. The character 1280-1288, April 2005.
of the ac-to-dc resistance FR is similar to the one, which was [14] J. Schutz, J. Roudet, and A. Schellmanns, “Modeling Litz-wire
windings,” Proc. IEEE Industry Appl. Soc. Annual Meeting (IAS), New
measured in [16]. Orleans, LA, Oct. 5–9, 1997, vol. 2, pp. 1190–1195.
It has been shown that the litz wire boundary frequency is [15] G. W. O. Howe, “The high-frequency resistance of multiply-stranded
higher than the solid wire. The boundary frequency can be insulated wire,” Proc. Royal Soc. Lon. A, vol. 93, pp. 468-92, September
increases with increasing the number of strands and decreasing 1917.
[16] R. P. Wojda and M. K. Kazimierczuk, “Winding resistance of litz-wire
the strand diameter. The boundary frequency decreases with and multi-strand inductors,” IET, Power Electron., vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 257-
increasing the number of layers in the inductor. 268, 2012.
The ratio of boundary frequency of the litz to the boundary [17] R. P. Wojda and M. K. Kazimierczuk, “Analytical optimization of solid-
round-wire windings,” IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol.
frequency of the solid wire appreciably increases as the 60, no. 3, pp. 1033 - 1041, 2013.
number of strands in the litz wire increases. Moreover, the ratio [18] R. P. Wojda, “Thermal analytical winding size optimization for different
increases as the number of layers in the inductor increases. conductor shapes,” PAN Archives of Electrical Engineering, vol. 64, no.
2, pp. 197-214, 2015.
It has been shown in the example that the resistance of litz [19] R. P. Wojda and M. K. Kazimierczuk , “Analytical optimisation of solid-
wire is similar to the resistance of the equivalent solid wire at round-wire windings conducting dc and ac non-sinusoidal periodic
low frequency ranges. At medium-frequency ranges the currents, ” IET Power Electronics, vol. 6, no. 7, pp. 1462 – 1474, 2013.
[20] R. P. Wojda and M. K. Kazimierczuk , “Analytical winding size
resistance of the litz wire is five times lower than the resistance
optimisation for different conductor shapes using Ampère's Law, ” IET
of the equivalent solid wire at the optimum frequency. Power Electronics, vol. 6, no. 6, pp. 1058 – 1068, 2013.
However, at the high-frequency ranges the resistance of litz [21] R. P. Wojda and M. K. Kazimierczuk , “Maximum drain efficiency class
wire is three times larger than the resistance of solid wire. F 3 RF power amplifier, ” IEEE International Symposium of Circuits and
Systems, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 15-18, 2011.
It has been shown that for the high-frequency ranges the [22] R. P. Wojda and M. K. Kazimierczuk , “Analytical optimization of litz-
resistance of the litz wire with greater number of strands is wire windings independent of porosity factor, ” COMPEL, vol. 34, no.
higher than the resistance of the litz wire with lesser number of 3, pp. 920 – 940, 2015.
strands.
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