EPC launches ultra -high power density 1226 w/in³, 1 kW 48 V/12 V LLC converter

     The new EPC9149 demo board has been introduced by Yipu Power Conversion Company. The board is a 48 V input, 12 V output LLC converter that provides 1 kW power and can be used as a DC transformer with a 4:1 conversion ratio. EPC9149 uses an EPC2218 gallium nitride field-effect transistor (eGaN FET) with rated voltage of 100 V and an EPC2024 with rated voltage of 40 V.

     The dimensions of EPC9149 are 1/8 brick according to the DOSA standard and are only 58.4mm x 22.9mm. At 1 kW output, the EPC9149 is much smaller than silicon-based device based solutions, which are typically 1/4 brick in size or twice as large. The total thickness of the converter without heat sink is only 10 mm.

     The high power density of 1226 W/in3 is achieved with EPC's gallium nitride field-effect transistor (eGaN FET) technology. eGaN FETs have a high switching frequency. The board is 1 MHz in frequency and miniature, and its size is only 1/3 of that of a silicon MOSFET with the same on-resistance. EPC9149 uses four EPC2218 devices rated at 100 V for primary synchronous rectification and eight EPC2024 devices rated at 40 V for secondary synchronous rectification. The board also uses a 4 mm x 4 mm Microchip dsPIC33CKMP102T-I/M6 controller to achieve high flexibility, configuration, communication and programming to fully exploit the performance of GAF transistors.

     The EPC9149 demo board can operate at input voltages ranging from 36 V to 60 V and output up to 83.3 A load current. The peak efficiency is 98% at 48V to 12V input voltages and 97% at 12V full load at 1 kW power. The maximum steady-state operating temperature is 88°C and the maximum junction temperature is 95°C under the maximum load and 400 LFM flow.

     "eGaN FETs and ics improve the power density of 48 V/12 V converters and meet the need for smaller, higher power applications in data centers," said Alex Lidow, CEO of EPC. Microchip's digital controller allows the EPC9149 demo board to be programmed and configured flexibly."