GaN Systems and EPowerlabs Collaborate to Deliver High-Density DC/DC Power Converter
GaN Systems announces its entry into a collaboration with EPowerlabs to deliver up a new converter, DDC48-1K, for use in mobility applications.
GaN Systems Inc. (GaN Systems) is a developer and supplier of semiconductors for clean-tech power conversion applications. The company offers a range of Gallium Nitride (GaN) high power switching diodes and transistors. GaN Systems’ offerings cater to electric vehicle (EV) power conversion, solar and wind generation, smart-grid switching, and lithium battery management.
Recently, the company announced its entry into a collaboration with EPowerlabs, an electric mobility (e-mobility) solutions provider. The duo aims to provide customers with a high-density DC/DC power converter, DDC48-1K. The converter is intended for use in a range of 48V mobility applications for automotive, consumer, and industrial customers.
Image used courtesy of GaN Systems
EPowerlabs
EPowerlabs provides engineering services independently or supported by technological partners in the form of hardware and software design and integration, product requirements definition, project testing, analysis, product validation, and more. The company’s main focus is the provision of these services for component development for e-mobility powertrain solutions. EPowerlabs has 20 years of experience in automotive companies, has completed powertrain testing and development projects (six and eight, respectively), and has worked with six original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) so far.
EPowerlabs was founded in 2019 and led by CEO Mikel Parel with headquarters based in San Sebastián, Spain. Since last year, the company has been working on several projects including the development of a 150kW power inverter for EVs, the development of battery management modules, and 5kW power converters for solar installations in homes and buildings.
EPowerlabs’ GaN-based DC/DC converter
The new DDC48-1K converter is 50% lighter than standard converters currently on the market and has an overall efficiency of 95%. The design without the case weighs 345g compared to an air-cooled DC/DC of the same power (750g). It uses GaN Systems 100V E-mode transistors (GS61008P) and high-performance GaNPX embedded packaging.
In a recent news release, Parel said, “Creating a more sustainable world through e-mobility is at the heart of our mission and leveraging technologies like GaN are vital in accelerating this move.” Parel added, “This is demonstrated by our GaN Systems-based converter, which reduces power losses by more than 50% compared to silicon-based designs in the market and is one-third the size of legacy converters."
Image used courtesy of GaN Systems
In the same news release, the CEO of GaN Systems, Jim Witham, commented, “It’s wonderful to see customers like EPowerlabs using our GaN transistors to make vast power system improvements within the e-mobility space. These changes all play a part towards the goal of using less energy and creating a more sustainable future.”
Customers can expect an efficiency of 97.5% at full load. This is a 4% improvement amongst other similar converters currently on the market. The power density is 28W/in3 compared to 10W/in3 in converters using other topologies and switches.
