Highly-Integrated Multiphase Bidirectional Current Controller

Texas Instruments (TI) today introduced the company's first fully-integrated multiphase bidirectional dc-dc current controller, which efficiently transfers electric power greater than 500W per phase between dual 48-V and 12-V automotive battery systems. The highly-integrated LM5170-Q1 analog controller features an innovative average current-mode control method that overcomes the challenges of today's high-component-count, full digital control schemes.

TI will demonstrate the LM5170-Q1 controller in booth No. 701 at the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) in Tampa, Florida, March 27-29, 2017. The LM5170-Q1 is the latest in TI's portfolio of industry-leading dc-dc converters, controllers and charge pumps, enabling engineers to innovate and differentiate their power supply designs.

Hybrid electric vehicles use both a high-voltage 48-V battery and the standard 12-V automotive battery. Design engineers typically manage these dual battery systems using a digital control scheme, which includes multiple discrete components such as current-sense amplifiers, gate drivers and protection circuits. These full digital control schemes are bulky and expensive.

To solve this challenge while improving performance and system reliability, TI offers a mixed architecture in which the microcontroller handles higher-level intelligent management, and the highly-integrated LM5170-Q1 analog controller provides the power conversion.

LM5170-Q1 key features and benefits include: Unique design for optimized system cost and performance: The LM5170-Q1's average current-mode control method improves performance, simplifies implementation and reduces cost. High accuracy: The controller's 1 percent accurate bidirectional current regulation ensures precise power transfer.

Power efficient: The LM5170-Q1 achieves greater than 97 percent efficiency. High precision: The controller monitors current with up to 99 percent accuracy. High power: Integrated 5-A peak half-bridge gate drivers for high power capability. Superior performance: Diode emulation mode of the synchronous rectifier MOSFETs prevents negative current and enhances light load efficiency. Automotive quality: The LM5170-Q1 is AEC-Q100 qualified.

Available in volume now through the TI store and authorized distributors, the LM5170-Q1 is offered in a 48-pin, 9-mm by 9-mm quad flat package (QFP) and priced at US$5.84 in 1,000-unit quantities.