The new CAPZero-3X capacitive discharge IC from PI

     Power Integrations releases the CAPZero™-3 family of devices, the company's latest generation of sophisticated and energy-efficient X-capacitor discharge ics. The dual-terminal CAPZero-3 IC makes it easy for designers to meet our IEC60335 safety standard, and the new IC covers all capacitance values from 100 nF to 6 µF.

     IEC60335 is a discharge safety standard covering all appliances. In order to prevent electrical hazards to users, the standard requires that the voltage of the input X capacitor should be discharged to less than 34 V within one second of the AC power failure. The CAPZero-3 IC blocks the current flowing through the X capacitor discharge resistor when the AC voltage is turned on, and automatically discharges the X capacitor through these resistors when the AC is turned off. The CAPZero-3 IC simplifies the design of EMI filtering circuits while allowing the use of larger capacity X capacitors, allowing the use of smaller inductors without changing power consumption.

     The CAPZero-3 IC can be placed either before or after the system input fuse. The new device has high common-mode surge resistance, so no external ground connection is required, and has an integrated 1000 V MOSFETs, as well as high differential mode surge resistance. The creepage distance between the package and the PCB is kept below 4 mm.

     Edward Ong, Product Marketing Manager, Power Integrations, said, "With the introduction of our new CAPZero-3 IC, designers can use a single component to solve a wide range of applications in large and small appliances requiring X capacitance values between 100 nF and 6 µF."