Product category:
DC/DC Convertors
News Release from: Powerstax | Subject: Power Building Bricks
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 08 January 2003
Bricks provide scalable power building
blocks
A novel component-based approach promises to provide a very simple, quick and totally scalable solution for distributed and modular power systems.
Increased pressure to reduce costs, smaller production runs and the need for shorter time-to-market means power architects are seeking alternatives to the traditional approach of a unique, individual power supply for each different high power DC requirement Advanced Power Conversion has responded to this challenge by offering a component based approach that provides a very simple, quick and totally scalable solution for distributed and modular power systems
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 18 Oct 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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Using modules from the APC range of 500 or 200W industry-standard-size full-brick DC/DC convertors (117 x 61 x 12.7mm) which require just a single wire to connect the units in parallel, total output power can very easily expanded by simply adding extra modules.
This "power building brick" approach is limited only by physical constraints and it is theoretically possible to use this method to quickly produce a power supply from 400W right up to many kilowatts.
This ability to provide a speedy, high power and scalable solution has already been adopted by a major USA telecomms power supply manufacturer when a large scale DC power source was needed in a hurry.
Further reading
Triple-output DC/DC convertor packs 200W
Advanced Power Conversion has released a novel 200W full-brick-size DC/DC convertor with triple outputs.
High-efficiency half-brick DC/DC convertors
Advanced Power Conversion has a new range of high-efficiency, compact DC/DC convertors.
Quarter-brick convertors handle 100W
Advanced Power Conversion has a new range of very compact 100W DC/DC convertors.
Just by connecting 14 of the 500W APC-F501 modules together the 7kW power requirement could be met very quickly with minimal design effort thus meeting the urgent deadline for product release.
This cost-effective and rapid solution has been made possible by the unique and patented topology of the APC DC/DC convertor range, which not only allows single wire parallel connection without the need for any additional external circuitry, but also offers special features such as democratic power sharing which uses inbuilt circuitry that automatically shares the load equally between units rather than the more conventional master/slave arrangement where additional modules are needed.
The low profile (12.7mm) of the APC DC/DC convertors together with the minimal thermal management required due to their high efficiency and high power density (5.5W/cm3), means that a large total output power can be accommodated in a small space - especially if being incorporated into a 19in rack system.
The capability to easily connect these DC convertor modules can facilitate true N+1 redundancy with the minimum of external components.
To further shorten and enhance the design-in process for power system developers, a number of special features have been incorporated into the standard APC DC/DC convertor modules.
These include low input and output ripple current that simplifies any filter design required, a fixed 300kHz frequency of operation that can be synchronized to an external clock for noise-sensitive telecomms applications.
One unique feature of the APC module is the ability to thermally monitor the voltage to give either early warning of a system fault or allow orderly shutdown.
This feature is in addition to the normal protection functions such as overvoltage, undervoltage and short-circuit protection that ensure safe and continued operation of the power system without external design input.
A major benefit of using individual power building bricks in a distributed or modular power system solution is the far greater range and flexibility they provide.
Literally hundreds of different combinations can be selected - by power rating, by input voltage and by output voltage.
The standard APC range includes both 24 and 48V input options and a range of power outputs and voltage from 48V right down to 3.3V.
This means that the same straightforward design and layout can be used for virtually any power requirement by the simple expedience of changing the modules used, saving both time and cost.
(This was Electronicstalk's Top Story on 7 January 2003).
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