The combination of the Renesas two-phase synchronous GaN boost controller with ultra-efficient eGaN^® FETs from EPC (Efficient Power Conversion) enables high power density and low-cost DC-DC conversion.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—  January, 2022 — EPC announces the availability of the EPC9166, a 500 W DC-DC demo board that converts a 12 V input to 48 V output. The EPC9166 demo board demonstrates the Renesas ISL81807 80 V two-phase synchronous boost controller with the latest generation EPC2218 eGaN FETs from EPC to achieve greater than 96.5% efficiency in a 12 V input to 48 V regulated output conversion with 500 kHz switching frequency.  The output voltage can be configured to 36 V, 48 V, and 60 V. The board can deliver 480 W power without a heatsink.

The EPC9137 is a two-phase 48 V – 12 V bidirectional converter that delivers 1.5 kW with 97% efficiency in small solution size for mild-hybrid cars and battery power backup units.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— May, 2021 — EPC announces the availability of the EPC9137, a 1.5 kW, two-phase 48 V – 12 V bidirectional converter that operates with 97 % efficiency in a very small footprint. The design of this demonstration board is scalable; that is, two converters can be paralleled to achieve 3 kW or three converters can be paralleled to achieve 4.5 kW. The board features four EPC2206 100 V eGaN^® FETs and is controlled by a module that includes the Microchip dsPIC33CK256MP503 16-bit digital controller.

With the power architecture transition from a 12 V to a 48 V bus power distribution in modern data centers, there is an increased demand to improve 48 V power conversion efficiency and power density. In this context, DC-DC converters designed using eGaN^® FETs and ICs provide a high efficiency and high power density solution. Additionally, with the advent of 48 V power systems in mild-hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, GaN transistors can provide a reduction in size, weight, and Bill of Materials (BOM) cost.

Power Systems Design
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With the emergence of the 48V bus architecture, a new hybrid converter using gallium nitride (GaN) transistors can be employed which achieves a peak efficiency that exceeds 95% and with 225W/in³ power density. Of great interest for data center applications, where light load efficiency is critical for energy savings, the converter efficiency is kept higher than 90% down to a 20% load.

PowerPulse
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