Bus converter delivers 98% peak efficiency

Vicor Corp. announces the latest addition to its IBC050 product line of high performance, wide input range VI BRICK intermediate bus converters (IBCs). The new IB050Q096T80N1-00 quarter-brick IBC module can provide up to 850 W of output power – far exceeding the power capability and efficiency of competitive bus converters – making it well suited for demanding applications spanning enterprise, optical access, and storage networks.

Available as a drop-in upgrade for industry standard 5:1 fixed ratio converters, the new IBC module operates from a 36 to 60 V input voltage range, with 2,250 Vdc isolation from input to output while achieving 98% peak efficiency. Rated at up to 80 Amps, 850 W from 55 to 60 Vin and 550 W from 36 Vin, the 2.30 x 1.45 x 0.42-in. quarter-brick module allows designers to conserve valuable board space and achieve full load operation at 50° C with 400 LFM airflow.

The IB050Q096T80N1-00 IBC module yields maximum usable power in thermally constrained systems. Its open frame construction facilitates airflow above and below the module to minimize temperature rise of downstream components. Using an industry standard form factor and pinout, the new IBC module equips customers with greater power capability freeing up valuable board space.

Using the company's Sine Amplitude Converter topology, IBC050 series modules are pin-compatible with industry standard "square wave" bus converters, which are fundamentally limited by switching losses to low operating frequencies, low power densities, and low bandwidth. Operating at 1 MHz, the IB050Q096T80N1-00 IBC module cuts transient response time by a factor of 10 and eliminates the need for bulk capacitors across the intermediate bus.

Designers can take advantage of Vicor’s new IBC Power Simulation tool, an industry-first online simulation capability, to interactively model the electrical and thermal performance of the IB050Q096T80N1-00 IBC module in application-specific operating conditions and thermal environments. Available to users via Vicor’s PowerBench online design center, Vicor’s IBC Power Simulation tool enables designers to quickly and easily select, simulate, and optimize IBC performance under a variety of system thermal and electrical conditions.

For more information, contact Vicor Corp., 25 Frontage Rd., Andover, MA 01810. Phone: (978) 470-2900.