Is it possible to fully saturate any isolated converter using saturable transformer of MATLAB simulink?

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My question is related to transformer saturation using saturable transformer of Simulink, I design a isolated full bridge converter using saturable transformer simulink block. Now i wanted to fully saturate the saturable transformer by giving volt.sec imbalance to switches and observe the output voltage and current. So in Hardware we know that once the transformer get fully saturated then output voltage and current of the converter will become zero. As far now i have simulated it till 20ms in open loop and i observed little dip in output voltage and current, And spikes in transformer voltage and current after giving volt.sec imbalance. So is it possible to saturate the transformer fully in simulink and observe the output voltage and current graph till it becomes zero?

Answers (1)

Ruchika Parag
Ruchika Parag on 17 Jul 2025
Hi @Rakesh, yes, it is possible to simulate full core saturation using the Saturable Transformer block in Simulink, but a few factors need to be properly configured to observe the expected behavior.
If you've introduced a volt-second imbalance and are only seeing slight dips in output voltage and current along with some transformer spikes within 20 ms, it’s likely that the transformer hasn’t reached full saturation yet. In hardware, full saturation often requires several cycles of imbalance, and the same applies in simulation.
Here are a few suggestions:
  1. Increase Simulation TimeTry extending the simulation beyond 20 ms—consider running for 50–100 ms or longer. Saturation is a cumulative effect, and depending on the applied imbalance and core characteristics, it may take time before flux builds up to the point of saturation.
  2. Monitor Magnetizing Flux or CurrentTo verify saturation, you can connect to internal signals of the Saturable Transformer block—such as the magnetizing current or flux. A flattening of the flux waveform (i.e., reaching a plateau) typically indicates the core has entered saturation.
  3. Adjust Transformer ParametersMake sure the block parameters accurately reflect a saturable core:
  • Initial magnetizing inductance (Lm0)
  • Saturated inductance (Lm_sat)
  • Transition flux linkage (ΨT)
  • Shape factor (fT)If ΨT is too high, it might take a significant imbalance to reach saturation. Lowering it slightly can help observe the effect more clearly.
  1. Behavior After SaturationOnce the transformer is fully saturated, you should observe:
  • A sharp increase in magnetizing current (due to the drop in inductance)
  • Output voltage and current dropping significantly or going to zero, matching hardware behavior
In summary, you should be able to observe complete saturation effects by increasing the simulation duration and closely monitoring flux or magnetizing current. Adjusting the core parameters may also help achieve saturation more clearly.

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