New Industry Products

IR Introduces New Triple Output DC-DC Power Converter Design Platform

February 12, 2008 by Jeff Shepard

International Rectifier (IR)® introduced the Mx series triple output dc-dc power converter design platform for space applications powering specific RF communication satellite applications.

The Mx series is claimed to offer industry-leading space ruggedness and low noise power performance in an open board assembly construction. The converters can be configured to meet a range of spacecraft power bus voltages, varying output load requirements, and telemetry needs, and are optimized to ensure maximum performance for sensitive RF equipment onboard spacecraft, such as receivers, transmitters, beacons, low noise amplifiers (LNAs), and up/down converters.

"The Mx series exemplifies our platform-based approach to satellite space power designs. By providing all of the benefits of a high volume standard product while offering the customization necessary for unique satellite power requirements, the overall cost and design effort for satellite manufacturers is reduced by simplifying custom power converter development," said Bjarne Soderberg, IR’s Director of Technical Marketing for Aerospace and Defense (A&D).

The Mx series offers two power levels. The MA platform is rated at 5W and the MB platform is rated at 15W output power. The platform has three outputs; each output can be configured from 3.3 to 15V and independently regulated to eliminate cross talk and minimize noise. Output noise is less than 1mVRMS and conducted susceptibility (CS) rejection is better than 95dB. In addition to very low input/output noise characteristics and world class CS rejection performance, the design platform offers guaranteed output voltage accuracy and end-of-life output voltage variations of less than 2%.

The Mx series can accommodate common satellite power buses from 20 to 100V. An input filter is included to meet stringent EMI requirements. Isolated telemetry ™/tele-command (TC) interface and output turn-on/turn-off sequencing (normally required by RF amplifiers) capability are also offered. In addition, the platform offers long term mission life with total ionizing dose (TID) and single event effects (SEE) requirements equal to GEO 15 Years and 38 MeV-cm²/mg, respectively.