New Industry Products

BrightLoop Converters and GaN Systems Bring Power Electronics to the Road and Sky

July 22, 2020 by Hailey Stewart

This article highlights GaN Systems their strategic partnership with BrightLoop to develop the latest AC/DC and DC/DC Converter products for electric motorsport and aerospace applications.

GaN Systems, the global leader in GaN (gallium nitride) power semiconductors, and BrightLoop Converters, a leading French power electronics company, today announced their strategic partnership to develop the latest AC/DC and DC/DC Converter products for electric motorsport and aerospace applications. Leveraging GaN Systems’ 650V GaN transistors, BrightLoop produces a range of converters that are smaller, lighter, and more efficient than currently available in the market.

 

BrightLoop Converters and GaN Systems Collaborate to Bring Power Electronics to the Road and Sky
Image courtesy of GaN Systems

 

GaN is a key component for applications in industries requiring high power performance and reliability. BrightLoop’s most recent family of DCDC converters, including the 1.9kW, 4.8kW, and 9.6kW DCDC converters designed for hybrid and electric racing, incorporates GaN Systems transistors and are around half the size and weight of the company’s first-generation DCDC converter developed without GaN.

BrightLoop continues to make advancements using GaN to produce lighter and more compact converters.  BrightLoop’s DCDC converters are now used in many of the Formula E teams and the winning team from 2019. The converter’s function is to power all the low-voltage electronics including pumps, lighting, and radio. Most recently, the World Sporting Consulting (WSC) Group, the premier motorsport event and racing promotion organization overseeing Touring Car Racing (TCR) and ETCR (Electric Touring Car Racing) brands, announced BrightLoop as the sole supplier of DCDC converters for ETCR cars. ETCR is the world’s first electric touring car championship, which will begin this summer 2020.

Additionally, BrightLoop will unveil a high-performance 5kW ACDC power factor correction (PFC) product for aerospace applications coming later next year, which also incorporates GaN Systems transistors. It operates from an input voltage of 60 to 180VAC and achieves 96 percent efficiency. 

“We are excited to partner with GaN Systems as a recognized leader in the GaN power semiconductor marketplace,” said Florent Liffran, CEO of BrightLoop Converters. “The industries which we service require high reliability and performance and GaN is an important piece in helping us achieve that. GaN Systems offers one of the best lines of 650V GaN transistors and coupled with its unique packaging allow unprecedented integration.”

“Teaming up with a leader like BrightLoop to demonstrate GaN Systems’ products in these very demanding applications proves the value and ruggedness of our GaN in high-reliability power applications,” stated Jim Witham, CEO of GaN Systems.

 

About GaN Systems

GaN Systems is the global leader in GaN power semiconductors with the largest portfolio of transistors that uniquely address the needs of today’s most demanding industries including data center servers, renewable energy systems, automotive, industrial motors and consumer electronics. As a market-leading innovator, GaN Systems makes possible the design of smaller, lower cost, more efficient power systems. The company’s award-winning products provide system design opportunities free from the limitations of yesterday’s silicon. By changing the rules of transistor performance, GaN Systems is enabling power conversion companies to revolutionize their industries and transform the world.