Murata Power Solutions has launched a series of single output digitally controlled 500 and 600 Watt PMbus DC-DC converters, writes Nick Flaherty.
The DRQ family incorporates a 32bit ARM7 processor and is the second product families offered by Murata Power Solutions to include a PMBus compatible digital interface, boosting the power available. The DRQ family is packaged in the industry standard quarter-brick format incorporating the Advanced Bus Converter (ABC) pinout for PMBus communications to an isolated DC-DC converter.
Both the DRQ-12/50-L48 (600 Watt) and the DRQ-12/42-D48 (500 Watt) units are packaged in an industry standard quarter-brick format that will support the evolving Advanced Bus Converter (ABC) footprint for isolated board mounted power modules.
The –L48 module has a 12 VDC 50 Amp output, accommodates an input voltage range from 44 to 57 VDC and is ideal for Intermediate Bus Applications (IBA) with a tightly controlled power source.
The –D48 converter provides a 11.5 VDC 43.5 Amp output and supports the TNV 2:1 wide input voltage range of 38 to 75 VDC. These highly efficient units, typically 95.5%, run much cooler than less efficient units making them ideal for use in modern space constrained telecoms and data networking equipment.
Typical applications include MicroTCA, servers, storage, networking equipment, POE applications, wireless networks along with industrial applications and test equipment.
The PMBus interface facilitates power management features not previously available in an isolated power module rated at 500-600W in a quarter brick format. By interfacing the DRQ module to the system’s I2C bus a system engineer can monitor critical system level performance requirements that include Vin, Iin, Vout, Iout and operating temperature.
The PMBus can also be used to set warning flags for temperature, Vin, Vout, Iout and allows the user to customise parameters such as Vout, Vin Turn on/off thresholds, output over voltage protection and output current limit and ramp-up characteristics to name a few. Also, in applications where additional output power is required or to build redundancy into the power architecture, two or more converters can be connected in parallel.