Insight into Inductor Current

The design of the main power inductor in a switching power supply provides many challenges to the engineer. Not only must an inductance value be chosen, but also how much current the inductor can handle, the winding resistance, mechanical factors, and so on. This Application Bulletin looks at one of these considerations: understanding the effects of DC current on an inductor. This will provide some of the background necessary to making an informed selection of an inductor.