TI's 3G Fusion improves efficiency
01 June 2007
Texas Instruments (www.ti.com) believes that its third-generation Fusion Digital Power controllers can improve energy efficiency by up to 30 per cent and bring a new way to manage multiple power phases through customer configuration.
Telecomms and server equipment suppliers in particular, need to find new ways to manage multiple power phases and respond to changes in the system as and when they occur. Phase management means the load is powered in phases, only as the load requires, by turning the power supply on or off as required.
The UCD9240 integrated power system controllers are multi-output, multi-phase devices with four outputs that implement digital PWM (pulse width modulators) with 250picosecs resolution, configurable via a GUI (graphical user interface) for monitoring, controlling and managing DC/DC point of load conversion. The use of phase management enables the power supply to operate at high efficiency over the load range. It also allows the user to optimise the loop response for the operating condition and meet acceptable transient response over the load range.
The GUI lets a designer manage the power supply’s features such as voltage and current thresholds and response, soft start, margining, sequencing, tracking, phase management, loop response and fan control. The company’s Fusion Digital Power peripheral is incorporated in the UCD9240. This performs digital loop control and supports switching frequencies up to 2MHz. Up to 100 interface commands can be supported as well as control, configuration and management of the power supply. The minimum supply current required is down to 40mA during normal operation.
A free design tool, for use with all UCD9K Fusion Digital Power controllers, provides real- time monitoring, modelling and simulation. Texas Instruments has also introduced two new plug-in power modules that enable configuration by the user. The PTD8A010W and PTD08A020W 10A and 20A modules integrate the inductor, FETs and the company’s UCD7230 driver with current sense capability and short circuit protection, can be used in DC/DC converter design with the UCD9k controllers.
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