Advanced DC-DC Converters, Thermal Management Solutions and Tantalum-Poly SMD Caps Intro’d at Electronica

CUI, Inc., Gaia Converter and Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (APEC) all introduced advanced dc-dc converters while Nextreme Thermal Solutions added five new thin-film thermoelectric modules and AVX Corporation expanded its TCJ Series with two new high-voltage tantalum polymer chip capacitors rated for 100V and 125V, nearly twice the rated voltage of similar devices.

CUI introduced a new family of digital point of load dc-dc modules that deliver over 95% peak efficiency in applications employing a distributed power architecture. The modules, available in 12A, 25A, and 50A versions, are pin and function compatible with the 3E POL BMR46X series from Ericsson Power Modules. This compatibility enables original equipment makers (OEMs) to address interoperability challenges, reduce time to market, and decrease supply chain risk for these leading-edge digital POL products.

The modules also incorporate auto compensation, autonomously balancing the trade-offs between dynamic performance and system stability. With this feature, designers are able to bypass the traditional practice of building-in margins to account for factors such as component ageing, manufacturing variations, and temperature, which inevitably lead to higher component cost and longer design cycles. The NDM2Z's auto compensation feature allows the module to dynamically set optimum stability in real time as conditions change. CUI continues to be the only digital point of load module manufacturer in the industry to offer auto compensated products.

The modules are available with an input range of 4.5~14 Vdc and a programmable output range of 0.6~5.0 Vdc in the 12A version and 0.6~3.3 Vdc in the 25A and 50A versions. Features include active current sharing, voltage sequencing, voltage tracking, synchronization and phase spreading, programmable soft start and stop, as well as a host of monitoring capabilities. All features are dynamically programmable via PMBus commands or through CUI's simple, easy to use GUI.

"We are very excited to announce the release of our new digital point of load modules housed in a common footprint with Ericsson's 3E POL BMR46X series," said Mark Adams, CUI's Senior Vice President. "Interoperability between digital POL modules is a major challenge in this industry. We believe that our cooperation with Ericsson opens the digital power market to a wider set of customers, providing a viable second source. "

Designed for high reliability applications, Gaia's new MGDS-175-S dc-dc converters do not use optocouplers in the feedback loop. These quarter-brick converters feature a 155-480V input voltage range MGDS-175-S which is well-suited for 270V applications such as those with MIL-STD-704E/F requirements, or for use with Power Factor Corrected front end converters such as Gaia's HGMS-350 series.

Available in 3.3V, 5V, 12V, 15V or 26V single outputs, each is capable of delivering up to 175W in the quarter-brick industry standard package. All have ±10% voltage trim capability. Efficiency levels are as high as 92%, and operating temperature range from -40°C to +105°C case temperature, with -55°C start-up operation option available.

APEC today announced the APU3037-3 controller IC designed to be a low cost synchronous buck regulator for on-board dc to dc converter applications. The APU3037-3 features an internal 200kHz oscillator (400kHz for the A version), under-voltage lockout for both Vcc and Vc supplies, and external programmable soft-start function as well as output under-voltage detection that latches the device off when an output short is detected. It operates with single 5 or 15V supply in fixed frequency voltage mode and has a 500mA peak output drive capability.

Explains Ralph Waggitt, President/CEO, Advanced Power Electronics Corp. (USA): "Today's ASIC products are migrating down to supply voltages of 1.8V and even lower. If you couple this trend with currents in excess of 3A, the result is that many linear regulators are simply too lossy to be used when the input supply is 5V or even 3.3V. The APU3037-3 together with two N channel MOSFETS such as the AP60T03 can provide a low cost solution for such designs."

Also today, Nextreme announced a new series of thin-film thermoelectric modules that offer higher cooling capacity, robust mechanical design and source-matched heat flux density for easier integration into existing electronic systems. At only 1.1mm high, the new eTEC MA8000 Series is designed to provide low-profile thermal management solutions for medium heat flux applications in markets including photonics, electronics, test and measurement, and aerospace.

The MA8000 Series includes five new modules that can pump from 10 to over 80 watts of heat at an ambient temperature of 25°C with footprints ranging from 63 to 375 mm². With heat flux densities ranging from 16 W/cm² to 22 W/cm², the MA series offers the ability to match thermoelectric cooling designs more easily to heat sources and existing convection-based heat rejection systems. The new modules fill the gap between traditional thermoelectrics that offer 6-8 W/cm² and Nextreme's HV series that pumps heat in excess of 100 W/cm².

The MA8000 series features a high-strength seal ring made from Cirlex® polyimide film that provides mechanical isolation across the thermoelectric device, virtually eliminating vertical force and sheer issues. The seal ring also serves as a barrier to moisture and other contaminants that could affect the performance of the module. Commercial shipments of the eTEC MA8000 series will begin in the first quarter of 2013.

AVX's new surface mount, tantalum polymer chip capacitors provide excellent capacitance and low ESR for a broad range of high-voltage applications, including telecommunications equipment, base stations, switching hubs, router and line filters, dc-dc converters in LED TVs and notebook computer power supplies, and a host industrial applications.

"The new, high-voltage TCJ Series capacitors provide design engineers with the ability to reduce the number of components on the board, increasing layout flexibility, as well as take up less board space than comparable aluminum electrolytic capacitors, which will enable the devices they're designed into, such as LCD monitors and LED TVs, to become even sleeker and more compact," said Dan Lane, marketing manager at AVX.

AVX's new 6.8µF/100V and 3.3µF/125V TCJ Series tantalum polymer SMD chip capacitors maintain 20% recommended voltage detracting, which significantly extends the usable voltage range, and are capable of replacing up to two of the highest rated component values in this technology, which provides design engineers with greater flexibility regarding board design. Exhibiting reliability exceeding 1% per 1,000 hours at 85°C and full-rated voltage, as well as a benign failure mode, which eliminates the ignition failures that can occur in standard MnO2 tantalum technology, the new capacitors are also exceedingly robust.

AVX's 100V and 125V TCJ Series SMD capacitors are rated for use from -55°C to +105°C, feature small case sizes (2924 for the 100V and 2917 for the 125V) and low profiles, and are halogen-free in accordance with the criteria for environmentally responsible product design that were recently adopted by several other major electronics manufacturers. Compatible with high-speed pick and place manufacturing processes, the new high voltage capacitors are available on 7" and 13" pure tin reels.

Engineering samples of AVX's new 100V and 125V tantalum polymer SMD chip capacitors are currently available upon request and will be made commercially available in the first quarter of 2013.