Würth Elektronik has expanded its free online design platform REDEXPERT with a dedicated Current Sense Transformer Selector, enabling engineers to identify suitable current sense transformers based on application specific electrical and thermal parameters.
Current sense transformers are widely used for AC current measurement in power electronics due to their galvanic isolation, low power loss, high noise immunity, and relatively simple circuit integration. In vehicle and industrial applications, they play a key role in monitoring power flows, protecting systems against overload, and ensuring reliable operation under variable conditions.
The Current Sense Transformer Selector allows users to define key operating parameters such as current range, frequency, signal type, and acceptable error limits. Based on these inputs, the tool filters Würth Elektronik’s product portfolio and presents matching components.
Beyond static data, the selector integrates simulation capabilities. It models temperature rise and measurement error as functions of current and frequency, using data derived from real measurements. Engineers can compare multiple CST options side by side and access a consolidated overview of electrical, thermal, and accuracy related characteristics for each component.
This simulation driven approach reduces the need for time consuming prototype testing during the component selection phase.
Selecting a suitable current sense transformer typically requires balancing several constraints. The ET constant must be chosen to avoid core saturation at low frequencies and high currents. Thermal behavior must remain within safe limits at maximum load. Measurement accuracy across the relevant operating range must also meet application requirements.
Because datasheets cannot realistically cover all possible operating scenarios, engineers often need to evaluate multiple components experimentally. By integrating simulation and comparison features, the REDEXPERT tool addresses this gap at the design stage.
In electric buses and commercial vehicles, current sense transformers are used in applications such as switched mode power supplies, onboard chargers, inverters, overload detection, energy metering, and high frequency current monitoring. As electrical systems evolve toward higher power levels and tighter safety margins, accurate and reliable current sensing becomes increasingly important.
Digital selection tools like the Current Sense Transformer Selector reflect a broader trend toward data driven component engineering, supporting faster development cycles and more predictable system behavior in vehicle power electronics.
