Electromagnetic power converter

A method of regulating an amplitude of an output signal of an electromagnetic (EM) power converter, the method comprising:

• providing an input signal to a primary winding that is wound around a primary core of the EM power converter, in which the EM power converter comprises the primary core and at least two secondary cores, at least one of the secondary cores comprises a magnetic flux valve having an adjustable reluctance;
• applying one or more control signals to the one or more magnetic flux valves to control the permeability of each magnetic flux valve, control a reluctance of each secondary core that has the magnetic flux valve, and control a distribution of magnetic fluxes in the secondary cores;
• generating a first output signal based on output signals of secondary windings that are wound around the secondary cores;
• and
• controlling an amplitude of the first output signal by controlling the control signals applied to the one or more magnetic flux valves;
• wherein each magnetic flux valve comprises one or more layers of piezoelectric material, one or more layers of magnetostrictive material, and electrodes to receive one of the control signals.

An apparatus comprising:

• an electromagnetic (EM) power converter comprising:
• a plurality of converter modules, each converter module comprising:
• a first core leg;
• a primary winding wound around a section of the first core leg, the primary winding having a first terminal and a second terminal that are configured to receive an input signal;
• a second core leg comprising a first magnetic flux valve having a reluctance that changes in response to a control signal, in which the first magnetic flux valve comprises one or more layers of magnetostrictive material and one or more layers of piezoelectric material;
• and
• a first secondary winding wound around a section of the second core leg, the secondary winding having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• wherein at least some of the secondary windings of the plurality of converter modules are connected in series, and two terminals of the series-connected secondary windings are configured to provide an output signal.

An apparatus comprising:

• an electromagnetic (EM) power converter comprising:
• a plurality of converter modules, each comprising:
• a first core leg;
• a primary winding wound around a section of the first core leg, the primary winding having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• a second core leg;
• a first secondary winding wound around a section of the second core leg, the secondary winding having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• a first magnetic flux valve having a reluctance that changes in response to a first control signal, in which the first core leg, the second core leg, and the first magnetic flux valve together provide a first magnetic flux path having an overall reluctance that changes in response to the first control signal;
• a third core leg;
• a second secondary winding wound around a section of the third core leg, the second secondary winding having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• and
• a second magnetic flux valve having a reluctance that changes in response to a second control signal, in which the first core leg, the third core leg, and the second magnetic flux valve together provide a second magnetic flux path having an overall reluctance that changes in response to the second control signal;
• wherein each of the magnetic flux valves comprises one or more layers of magnetostrictive material and one or more layers of piezoelectric material.