Transformer with hysteresis in LTspice

Question

I would like to model a transformer in LTspice with hysteresis and saturation (or just hysteresis would be nice). I have already tried the Chen model which I don't like and tried to model a regular transformer with the inductor parameters found here but got an error.

Here is an example of my LTspice netlist

.param Is=2A a=3
.param Ind 1000mH 
K2 L4 L3 1
L4 0 N008 {2*Ind} Ipk=2 Rser=10
L3 0 N007 flux={Ind*Is}*tanh((x/{Is})**{a})**{1/a} Ipk=2 Rser=110

I get an error that says: mutual inductance statements aren't supported between arbitrary inductors

My question is: is there some way to combine an ideal transformer and a non-linear inductor to make an accurate model and simulate in LTspice?
Are there other ways to effectively model a transformer with hysteresis in spice?

Answer 1

I found a great article at this site to model transformers. It explains

"The work of Hsu, Middlebrook and Cuk 2 develops the relationship of leakage inductance, showing that relatively simple measurements of input inductance with shorted outputs yield the necessary model information."

They developed this for IsSpice, but it could be applied anywhere. Here is the spice code for a saturable core (just in case the link goes down) Here is an included picture of the model This is a graph of a modeled core:

And here is the reference for the paper the article was based on: TRANSFORMER MODELING AND DESIGN FOR LEAKAGE CONTROL Shi Ping Hsu, R.D. Middlebrook and Slobodan Cuk, Power conversion International, pg. 68, Feb, 1982

Answer 2

You should check out this page (and, maybe even the rest of the site): transformers. Even the manual should have told you about the possibility of having a Chan core in LTspice, while looking at the default examples that come with the installation of LTspice, should have given you a nice example of using it. I've pointed you in the right way, so now I'll leave it to you the pleasure of finding out, rather than coming up with a silver platter. :-)