Hall transducer in SO-8 package for isolated current measurement

7 March 2007 Power Electronics / Power Management

Minisens is a miniature, integrated circuit transducer for AC and DC isolated current measurement up to 100 kHz. This device from LEM offers full isolation (no optocouplers required) and high sensitivity (from 20 mV to 200 mV per amp of primary current) with no insertion losses. It is mounted directly onto a PCB as an SMD device (SO8-IC package), reducing manufacturing cost.

Minisens integrates, within one mixed signal ASIC, Hall-effect sensors with a magnetic concentrator to allow DC measurement without the need for an additional magnetic core. The non-contact measurement enables an almost unlimited current level as it eliminates the need for current to flow through the device. The only limiting factor is the thermal capacities of the primary conductor. The current can be carried either by a track (or tracks) located on a PCB underneath the Minisens, or by a cable or busbar under or above the IC. It can measure current up to 70 A or even higher.

Many parameters of the ASIC can be configured by on-chip non-volatile memory: adjustment of the transducer's gain, offset, polarity, temperature drift and gain algorithm (proportional to, or independent of VDD). Two outputs are available: one filtered, to limit the noise bandwidth; and one unfiltered, which has a response time of less than 3 μs. The Minisens operates from a single 5 V supply.

The degree of electrical isolation and output sensitivity can be increased by the PCB design - for example, a primary track on the opposite side of the IC gives best isolation; a track on the same side gives the highest sensitivity.

This current transducer opens up opportunities for applications such as white goods or airconditioning to benefit from isolated current measurement. Minisens will also enable enhanced motor control to produce energy savings where other methods such as a shunt have traditionally been used.

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