Design, Construction, and Comparative Efficiency Assessment of Ferrite-Core and Conventional Iron-Core Inverters

This study presents the design, construction, and comparative performance evaluation of a 4 kVA hybrid ferrite-based transformer inverter for improved power supply applications. The system integrates solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, battery storage, and utility grid supply within a unified energy management framework to ensure continuous and reliable power delivery for residential and small-scale commercial loads.

A high-frequency ferrite-core transformer operating at 50 kHz was implemented to reduce size, weight, and magnetic losses while improving power density and efficiency. The inverter employs Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (SPWM) techniques to generate a regulated 230 V, 50 Hz AC output. Experimental testing was conducted under load conditions ranging from 330 W to 3,500 W.

Results showed stable output voltage between 223 V and 230 V, frequency stability between 49.7 Hz and 50.0 Hz, and efficiency ranging from 88.2% to 89.1%. Comparative analysis demonstrated that the ferrite-based inverter outperformed a conventional iron-core inverter in efficiency, voltage regulation, thermal performance, and size reduction. The findings confirm that ferrite-based hybrid inverter technology offers a more efficient and reliable solution for modern power supply systems.