Integrated solution reduces design time for ballasts

18 July 2001 Power Electronics / Power Management

International Rectifier has released its new IRPLDIM2 digital addressable dimming ballast reference design that allows manufacturers to deliver digital addressable ballasts to market quickly by providing an integrated solution. It combines IR's advanced dimming ballast control technology with a high-performance flash microcontroller from Microchip Technology.

The IRPLDIM2 incorporates all dimming ballast control and digital interface functions on one board, and reduces component count by 60%. The solution also provides superior dimming control for enhanced human comfort with up to 256 light-level settings. The reference design enables the implementation of a digital addressable ballast that meets all the specifications outlined in the digital addressable lighting interface (DALI), an addendum to the electronic ballast standard IEC929.

The International Rectifier IR2159 dimming ballast control and gate driver IC is matched with Microchip's PIC16F628 flash microcontroller to implement a fully documented and tested, digital addressable dimming fluorescent ballast into a single circuit board with only 92 components. The IR2159 uses a patented phase control technique that eliminates the current-sensing transformer, and provides stable logarithmic dimming from 100% to 1%.

Digital addressable ballasts are emerging as a high performance solution to reduce maintenance and energy costs and simplify commercial lighting control when compared to ballasts used in analog lighting control systems. They have individual and group control, while previous control methods only had group control. They can also detect malfunctions, and with the appropriate sensors, set lighting levels, resulting in energy savings.

The IRPLDIM2 reference design includes all documentation, software and hardware. The IRPLDIM2E drives a standard 220 V, 36 W T8 fluorescent lamp for the European and Asian markets, while the IRPLDIM2U reference design drives a standard 110 V, 32 W T8 lamp for the North American market. The reference design can be easily customised for other fluorescent lamps using IR's free ballast design software.

Avnet Kopp

(011) 444 2333

Advanced Product Technology

(011) 792 6010

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