Ecosystem provides resources for digital power supplies
STMicroelectronics has launched a web-based ecosystem to help designers build digital power products using STM32 microcontrollers.
Digital power supplies optimise energy efficiency and capture rich data for diagnostics and safety. Digital control also lets designers increase power density to realise size and weight savings in data centres, 5G infrastructure, smart lighting, and mobile devices.
The STM32 D-Power website consolidates developer resources that include the all-in-one STM32 digital-power Discovery Kits, embedded software components, software tools created by ST authorised partner Biricha Digital, and dedicated power supply boards that demonstrate various designs and power ratings. Documentation, videos, and guides cater for beginners up to expert power supply designers. A four-day, hands-on workshop created by Biricha shows how to build digital power supplies using STM32 microcontrollers.
The ecosystem is scaled to support three levels of STM32 microcontrollers that combine the benefits of industry-standard Arm Cortex-M cores with integrated features optimised for digital power applications. The entry-level STM32F334, advanced STM32G474, and high-performance STM32H7 series microcontrollers each contain a flexible high-resolution timer to generate highly accurate pulse width modulated (PWM) signals for stable control of switched mode power circuits.
ST’s STM32 D-Power ecosystem introduces entry-level users to digital power supply and power factor correction (PFC) design with an online presentation, which contains basic technical information. Access to curated hardware and software products include the B-G474E-DPOW1 Discovery kit based on the STM32G474RET6 microcontroller and the STM32F334 Discovery kit (STM32F3348-Disco), with associated videos and application notes including LED control and STM32 HRTimer cookbooks.
The D-Power software development kit (SDK) contains ST-WDS power supply design software and ST-PLD PFC design software created by Biricha Digital. There are also STM32Cube-compatible embedded-software examples for buck/current mode and buck/voltage mode running on the B-G474E-DPOW1. Additional examples and topologies will be added in the near future.
Digital power-supply evaluation boards with PFC are available in different topologies, such as totem-pole PFC and LLC resonant full-bridge, and power ratings from 500W upwards, including front-end rectifiers and complete AC/DC switch mode power supplies.
