New Industry Products

Astec Offers Sixteenth-Brick Bus Converters

March 12, 2006 by Jeff Shepard

The Astec Power division of Emerson Network Power has released of a new family of dc-dc "bus" converters in the sixteenth-brick format. The new devices feature efficiencies as high as 96 percent. With power density of up to 300 W/in3, the 150W 5:1 fixed-ratio sixteenth-brick models are available in baseplate (AED models) and open-frame (ALD models) configurations. The 180W 4:1 fixed ratio ALO eighth-brick is available in open-frame construction.

Both converter packages operate from 36 to 55Vdc input range and are aimed for intermediate bus applications in distributed power architectures. These new models are well suited for systems that can tolerate quasi line regulated distributed power typically employed in low to mid range routers, blade servers and other equipment in the data communications market.

All of the devices have a mean time between failures of at least 1 million hours, an operating temperature range of -40 C to +85 C and feature high capacitive load limit on startup as well as input over-voltage, output over-current and over-temperature protection; up to 1,500Vdc input-to-output isolation and under-voltage lockout. An output enable pin can use positive or negative logic.

The new devices are available now, with prices starting at $29 for sixteenth-brick AED/ALD models or $34 for ALO devices in OEM quantities. Designed to meet international safety and performance standards, these units also comply with new RoHS standards.