Multi-Phase 55V Synchronous Boost Controllers Simplify Automotive Power System Design

Intersil Corporation, a leading provider of innovative power management and precision analog solutions, announced two 55V two-phase synchronous boost controllers with integrated high-side and low-side MOSFET drivers. The ISL78227 and ISL78229 are the industry’s most robust and highly integrated boost controllers available to simplify the design of high power automotive applications.

Intersil is "investing to win in Automotive". This sector, currently with a share of 12% of the company´s turnover, is the fastest growing division of Silicon Valley-based Intersil with 1,100 employees and a revenue of $522M in 2015. According to Niall Lyne, Automotive Product Line Director, a double-digit growth is projected in 2016, based on a market leadership in rear-view camera systems, ADAS components as well as HEV/EV battery management systems, 48V DC/DC controllers and multi-phase boost and buck controllers.   

The new devices, operating from a 12V battery supply, boost the output voltage to 24V, 36V or 48V for premium 200W to 800W trunk audio amplifiers, start-stop systems, and headlamp LED strings. Both controllers also address the rigorous demands of industrial and telecom applications where a step-up DC/DC converter must deliver high power in a small solution size.

The ISL78227 and ISL78229 enable a modular design for systems requiring power and thermal scalability. They support wide input and output ranges of 5V to 55V and deliver greater than 95% efficiency to reduce power loss and heat dissipation. The ability to interleave two controllers for a four-phase application effectively doubles the output power and reduces input/output ripple, allowing power supply designers to use smaller capacitors to save board space and lower their bill of materials cost. Numerous protection features keep the ISL78227 and ISL78229 operating under virtually any condition. Their unique soft-on function ensures smooth transition from discontinuous-conduction mode (DCM) to continuous-conduction mode (CCM) after completing a soft-start, keeping the power supply safe under all start-up conditions.

The ISL78227 and ISL78229 also offer a unique envelope-tracking feature that dynamically adjusts or scales the output voltage on the fly to meet all system load demands. For example, whenever the battery supply is low, power consumption of various components such as the audio amplifier must be limited, especially if the radio is on while the engine is off. Transient events such as the start-stop system restarting the engine also require on-the-fly voltage adjustments. And to simplify the task of attaining the ISO 26262 automotive safety integrity level (ASIL) rating, the ISL78229 offers a digital PMBus™ interface for advanced control, telemetry and diagnostics. Having the PMBus interface on-chip eliminates the need for dedicated telemetry circuitry required to configure fault types, system recovery and monitoring.

"The ISL78227 and ISL78229 enable high power step-up applications in a small solution size that deliver high efficiency and offer multiple layers of power supply protection," said Philip Chesley, senior vice president of Precision Products at Intersil. "A unique combination of innovative features, integrated tracking and a PMBus option provides customers with robust and easy to use solutions for their high voltage designs."

 

Key Features and Specifications of ISL78227 and ISL78229:

• Provides input/output voltage from 5V to 55V, and withstands transients up to 60V
• Supports synchronous or standard boost topology, and uses peak current mode control for fast line response with adjustable slope compensation
• Configurable for single phase, 2-phase and 4-phase operation, enabling high efficiency
• Adjustable switching frequency from 50kHz to 1.1MHz, and external synchronization
• Two layers of over-current protection prevents inductor current run-away system damage
• Negative current protection prevents large currents that can damage the high-side FET
• Average current limiting allows high current for brief heavy load periods, and prevents longer periods that can cause overheating
• Soft-on capability provides a smooth transition from soft-start to full operation in CCM
• Adaptive and programmable dead-time control prevents shoot-through current
• Selectable diode emulation and phase dropping optimizes light load efficiency
• AEC-Q100 qualified for operation from -40°C to +125°C
• Wettable flank QFN package allows optical inspection of solder joints for lower manufacturing cost.

 

PowerNavigator™ GUI Simplifies Digital Power Designs

Intersil's PowerNavigator software simplifies the ISL78229's PMBus configuration, validation, monitoring, and telemetry. The tool makes it easy to change features and functions of a digital power supply design without writing a single line of code.

The ISL78227 and ISL78229 can be combined with the ISL78206 40V/2.5A synchronous buck controller, ISL78310 1A LDO, and ISL78233 3A synchronous buck regulator to provide a complete power solution for an automotive audio amplifier power supply.

 

Pricing and Availability

The ISL78227 55V synchronous boost controller is available now in a 5mm x 5mm, 32-lead WFQFN package and is priced at $3.45 USD in 1k quantities. An ISL78227EV1Z evaluation board can be purchased for $127 USD each.

The ISL78229 55V synchronous boost controller with PMBus is available now in a 6mm x 6mm, 40-lead WFQFN package and is priced at $3.95 USD in 1k quantities. An ISL78229EV1Z evaluation board can be purchased for $172 USD each. 

 

About Intersil

Intersil Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corporation, is a leading provider of innovative power management and precision analog solutions. The company's products form the building blocks of increasingly intelligent, mobile and power hungry electronics enabling advances in power management to improve efficiency and extend battery life. With a deep portfolio of intellectual property and a rich history of design and process innovation, Intersil is the trusted partner to leading companies in some of the world's largest markets, including the industrial and infrastructure, mobile computing, automotive and aerospace.

 

This article originally appeared in the Bodo’s Power Systems magazine.