GaN-based inverter reference design simplifies and shrinks motor drive design
To reduce the size of motor drives and in addition accelerate time to market for e-mobility, power tools, robotics and drones.
The EPC9176 GaN-based inverter reference design enhances motor drive system performance, range, precision, torque, said EPC. The inverter’s small size enables it to be integrated into the motor housing resulting in the lowest EMI, highest density and lowest weight, said EPC.
The EPC9176 is a three-phase BLDC motor drive inverter using the EPC23102 ePower Stage GaN IC with embedded gate driver function and two GaN FETs with 5.2 mOhm typical RDS(on). The EPC9176 operates from an input supply voltage between 20 and 80V and can deliver up to 28Apk (20A RMS). This voltage range and power level makes the inverter suitable for a variety of three-phase BLDC motor drive applications with 36 to 80V input, for example e-bikes, e-scooters, power tools, drones, robots, DC servo, medical robots and factory automation.
Using the EPC23102 integrated GaN-on-silicon device delivers high performance in a small footprint, claimed EPC, with “significantly reduced design effort” to accelerate time to market. The EPC23102 is an integrated power stage with 100V rating including the half bridge FETs, driver, level shifter and synchronous bootstrap charging. There is an enable pin for low quiescent current in disabled mode and 5V bias.
EPC offers interface boards (EPC9147X) to operate this inverter reference design with the most common motors. The EPC9176 contains all the necessary critical functions circuits to support a complete motor drive inverter including gate drivers, regulated auxiliary power rails for housekeeping supplies, voltage, and temperature sense, accurate current sense and protection functions.
Alex Lidow, CEO of EPC, added: “GaN enables motor systems that are smaller, lighter, less noisy, have more torque, more range, and greater precision while improving EMI, reducing EMI filtering and capacitor count, and eliminating electrolytic capacitors and input filter inductors.”
The EPC9176 reference design board is available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key.
Designers interested in replacing their silicon MOSFETs with a GaN device can use the EPC GaN Power Bench’s cross-reference tool to find a suggested replacement based on their operating conditions.
