PowiGaN InnoSwitch ICs target industrial and automotive power supplies
At APEC 2023, Power Integrations has announced a 900V GaN extension to the company’s InnoSwitch3 family of flyback switcher ICs. The ICs feature the company’s proprietary PowiGaN technology and deliver up to 100W with better than 93 per cent efficiency. According to Power Integrations, PowiGaN eliminates the need for heat sinks and streamlining design of space-constrained applications.
InnoSwitch3 designs also offer light-load efficiency making them suitable for providing auxiliary power in electric vehicles during low power sleep modes. The AEC-Q100-qualified InnoSwitch3-AQ family is suitable for electric vehicles (EVs) based on 400V bus systems where the 900V PowiGaN switch provides more power and increased design margin for 12V battery replacement systems. It is also claimed to have enhanced efficiency over silicon-based converters.
The 900V InnoSwitch3-EP and InnoSwitch3-AQ off-line CV/CC flyback switcher ICs employ synchronous rectification, a valley switching discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) and continuous conduction mode (CCM) flyback controller. FluxLink communication technology enables the IC package to bridge the isolation barrier, optimising efficiency and eliminating the need for optocouplers. PowiGaN technology enables InnoSwitch3-EP ICs to deliver up to 100W (230V AC ± 15 per cent) without heat sinks.
InnoSwitch3-EP devices incorporate multiple protection features including line over- and under-voltage protection, output over-voltage and over-current limiting, and over-temperature shutdown. The devices are available with standard and peak power delivery options. Automotive InnoSwitch3-AQ devices can also deliver 100W from a 400V bus and provide performance and protection features similar to those of the popular 1700V SiC InnoSwitch3-AQ ICs currently used in 800V EV systems.
“The dominant bus voltage for electric vehicles is 400V,” said Peter Vaughan, automotive business development director at Power Integrations. “EV manufacturers are optimising 400V systems and re-engineering various power stages in the vehicle, such as the on-board charger”. He continued that the 900V PowiGaN switch accommodates highly inductive noise spikes that are often present in automotive environments. The company said that its GaN technology delivers extra power to match the increasing power demands of EV manufacturers, with efficient power conversion, even in auxiliary systems, for range extension and thermal management.
For use in the industrial space, the 900V parts are pin-for-pin compatible with existing 725V and 750V InnoSwitch3-EP parts to deliver extra power and increased efficiency for appliances such as three-phase motors and auxiliary power supplies in servers. The 900V ICs offer increased safety margin which is suitable for countries with unstable line voltages.
“Our ability to deliver GaN parts rated at up to 900V demonstrates the reliability and ruggedness of our PowiGaN technology,” commented Silvestro Fimiani, senior product marketing manager at Power Integrations.
