Structural Design and Magnetic-Vibration Characteristics Analysis of Amorphous Alloy and Oriented Silicon Steel Combined Core

Amorphous alloys and grain-oriented silicon steel are two commonly used soft magnetic materials for distribution transformer cores, each possessing distinct advantages and disadvantages. A hybrid core structure combining amorphous alloy and grain-oriented silicon steel can leverage the strengths of both materials. This paper proposes a novel structural design methodology for hybrid cores combining amorphous alloy and grain-oriented silicon steel in a side-by-side arrangement. The design process utilizes a free-parameter scanning method, significantly optimized with a performance-based “early rejection” condition that improves computational efficiency by pre-screening non-viable candidates. An equivalent dual-nonlinear magnetic circuit model solves for the internal flux density to identify the optimal structure. An experimental model was fabricated and subjected to a comprehensive magneto-vibro-acoustic analysis using a test platform with displacement, multi-point acceleration, and noise sensors. Results demonstrate the hybrid core’s superior balanced performance: it reduces no-load loss by 63.572% compared to a pure silicon steel core, while decreasing peak vibration displacement by 35.88% and audible noise by over 13 dB compared to a pure amorphous core. A practical viability analysis further confirms the design’s excellent trade-off between manufacturing cost, thermal performance, and its superior electromagnetic characteristics.