News

1kW, High-Efficiency 48V-to-12V DC-DC Converter

July 11, 2018 by Paul Shepard

Fabless power semiconductor company Helix Semiconductors today announced that Agility Power Systems (Agility) is using the MxCTM 200 IC (pictured above) for its innovative, 1kW, high-efficiency 48Vdc-to-12Vdc power converter. Agility designs highly efficient switched capacitor power conversion devices targeted at the data center, solar and electric vehicle markets.

As data storage capacity grows exponentially, so does the need for highly efficient data center hardware and infrastructure. Looking to meet the extremely demanding requirements of data center environments, Agility leveraged Helix Semiconductors ICs, featuring the highest energy per density, for its new power converter design.

Based on Helix Semiconductors' MuxCapacitor™ technology, the MxC 200 is a configurable, high-efficiency, 15W dc-dc power IC that takes voltage input ranging from 12- to 48-V and converts it to selectable lower voltages.

The MxC 200 offers greater than 97 percent peak efficiency and greater than 90 percent efficiency at full load (when configured as a 48V input to 12V output), making it suited for use in data center power supplies. The financial benefit of this solution is amplified by reduced cooling costs as a result of much lower heat generation.

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Agility has applied the MxC 200 in a modular, scalable configuration that optimizes efficiency and power density for a broad range of power conversion applications.

According to Jason Young, president and CEO for Agility Power Systems, "The unique features of the MxC 200 allowed us to create a 48V to 12V dc-to-dc power converter that achieves industry-leading efficiency in a very compact and cost-effective package. The bidirectional nature of Helix Semiconductors' MuxCapacitor technology also enabled a design configuration that provides the same high efficiency for both voltage reduction and inversion applications.

"This project is an exciting development for both Agility and Helix Semiconductors, as it will allow us to demonstrate a broad range of the MxC 200's game-changing features and benefits in large power applications," concluded Young.

"This is an application that captures our core value proposition of power efficiency, density and scalability," noted Bud Courville, vice president of business development for Helix Semiconductors. "Our technology has given Agility the competitive advantage they need to stand apart in a crowded playing field - and we look forward to seeing their innovation commercialized."

Budgetary pricing for the MxC 200 is $2.50 in 10K quantities.