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3 months ago in Power Electronics By Sourabh

What’s the difference between an ac choke and a dc choke?

I need an inductor for a converter. When do I use an AC choke vs. a DC choke?

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By Nitin Answered 1 month ago

It's about the current they carry. An AC choke handles alternating current, with flux swinging positive and negative. It uses laminated or powdered iron cores to minimize eddy current losses from changing flux. A DC choke carries a large DC bias with a small AC ripple. The DC component would saturate a standard core, so it requires an air-gapped core to store energy and maintain inductance under high DC bias. Same family, different physics.

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