EPC announces GaN-Based 48V to 12V dev Board
Board provides high-power density exceeding 1250W per cubic inch, and over 96 percent efficiency.
Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) has introduce the EPC9130 48 V − 12 V non-isolated, fully regulated development board. This five-phase board with 12 A per phase has a maximum output current of 60 amps, making the board capable of over 700 W. The EPC9130 provides extremely high-power density exceeding 1250 W per cubic inch, and over 96 percent efficiency.
The EPC9130 development board has five phases, each using two 100 V EPC2045 eGaN FETs in a half-bridge configuration with a uPI Semiconductor, up1966A gate driver. The PWM signals to the gate drivers are fed by an onboard dsPIC33 microcontroller from Microchip. The board contains all critical components and layout for optimal switching performance "“ with a bill of materials of less than $0.06 per Watt in volume.
Emerging computing applications demand more power in much smaller form factors. In addition to the expanding needs of the server market, some of the most challenging applications are multi-user gaming systems, autonomous cars, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency mining. The EPC9130 significantly improves the power density while reducing the size and cost of the 48 V "“ 12 V DC-DC converters needed for these demanding applications.
"This DC-DC system has a power density greater than 1250 W/in3 , and an efficiency greater than 96 percent, both are records for this type of conversion. What really makes this solution compelling is that the cost of the components is less than $0.06 per watt, significantly lower than systems in production today," noted Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC.
