This thesis proposes one comparison methodology for single and three-phase high power high frequency transformers in power conversion systems. The objective is to compare the volume of the transformers. And single and three-phase Dual Active Bridge Converter (DAB1 and DAB3) topologies with single and three-phase isolating transformers are selected for the transformer comparison. Design optimization of power transformer has been studied and simplified models have been built for the single and three-phase transformer design optimization in this work, including assumptions for core shapes, materials, winding structures and thermal model. Two design methods have been proposed according to different design constraints, named T – B Method and J – B Method separately. T – B Method is based on feature of the core, which has the major limits of maximum flux density and temperature rise. The flux density should not reach the saturation value of the core, and temperature rise should meet specifications in different applications to assure the performance of the core (permeability, saturation flux density, and core loss) and the insulation of the wire. And J – B Method starts from the comparison of area product in conventional design method. The relationship between area product of transformer cores and the flux and current of the transformer in design is analyzed. There is specified relationship between area product of single and three-phase transformers if flux and current densities are specified for both. Thus J – B Method is proposed with the design constraints of specified current and flux density. Both design methods include both single and three-phase transformer design.

One example case for single and three-phase transformer comparison is selected as high power high frequency DAB conversion system. Operation principles are studied for both DAB1 and DAB3 based on previous work. And transformer design based on the T – B and J – B Methods are carried out and transformer volumes are compared. And results show that three-phase transformer has little benefit in volume or thermal than single-phase transformer, when they are utilized in single-phase DAB and three-phase DAB converters separately. Scaled-down single and three-phase DAB systems have been built and volume and thermal tests have been carried out.