High Density AC-DC Front-End Modules With Isolation and Power Factor Correction
Vicor® Corporation announced an addition to its new family of high density PFM™ AC-DC front-end modules in the rugged VIA package that offers superior cooling performance and versatility in converter mounting. Featuring a universal AC input range (85 - 264 VAC), power factor correction, and a fully isolated 24 VDC or 48 VDC output, and delivering 400 W of isolated, regulated, DC output power at efficiencies up to 93%, these new modules provide unprecedented power density of 127 W/in3 (8 W/cm3) and best-in-class performance in a diminutive, 9 mm thin VIA package. The new units are ideally suited for use in a broad range of industrial, process control, telecommunications, office equipment, test and measurement, LED lighting and other "off-line" applications.
In many applications, a user can instantly implement a complete AC-DC front end by simply combining a PFM with an AIM (Universal AC Input Module), which integrates all required primary-side rectification, filtering and transient protection circuitry), both in VIA packages and suitable secondary-side storage capacitance. Alternatively, a designer can combine a PFM front-end module with rectification, filtering and secondary-side output capacitance that is optimized for a specific application. In either case, the PFM front-end module offers a quick and easy pathway to a rugged, high-performance, high-density AC-DC front-end solution, while eliminating the uncertainties and long design cycles associated with a custom front-end design. And, whereas many alternative front-end systems are configured with capacitive energy storage at the high-voltage input, the PFM offers enhanced system safety by storing energy in low voltage capacitors at the isolated SELV output.
Offering power systems designers a rugged, modular, fully integrated AC-DC front-end solution with much higher power density than alternative products, the new PFM AC-DC front-end modules are compatible with a wide variety of available downstream power conversion components. By using Vicor's online suite of PowerBench™ design tools to combine PFM AC-DC front-end modules with downstream modules selected from Vicor's comprehensive portfolio of high-density, high-efficiency, modular power converters, power architects can rapidly design and deploy complete off-line power systems featuring predictable performance and unrivaled power density, efficiency and reliability.
PFM modules are available in chassis and board-mount options in C and T-grades are generally available from Vicor authorized distributors.