Integrated transformer module technology maximises EV drive time

27 October 2021 Power Electronics / Power Management

Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced what it acclaims as the industry’s smallest and most accurate 1,5 W isolated DC/DC bias-supply module. The UCC14240-Q1 uses a proprietary integrated transformer technology which the company says can enable designers to cut their power solution size in half for use in high-voltage environments such as electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid EVs, motor-drive systems and grid-tied inverters.

With the accelerating growth of the EV market, automotive design engineers are looking for ways to improve efficiency and reliability, while also reducing the weight of the heaviest part of the EV: the powertrain. To help meet the need for smaller, more reliable systems to extend driving range, engineers are moving to a distributed power architecture, a scheme where every isolated gate driver has a dedicated bias supply. This architecture improves how the system reacts to single-point failures. For example, if one bias supply fails, the other bias supplies remain operational, as do their paired gate drivers – helping to keep a vehicle safely on the road.

The UCC14240-Q1 offers size and efficiency advantages that enable greater power density and system efficiency, which can allow vehicles to drive farther between charges. The 3,55 mm height and small footprint of the chip enable designers to reduce the power solution volume by as much as 50%, packing more power in half the size. The height reduction also gives engineers the full flexibility to place the module on either side of the printed circuit board.

This dual-output power module offers 60% efficiency – twice that of traditional bias supplies – doubling the power density and helping increase vehicle driving range. By delivering more than 1,5 W at ambient temperatures of 105°C, the UCC14240-Q1 enables engineers to drive IGBTs, SiC and GaN switches at high frequencies.

By leveraging TI’s integrated transformer technology with a 3,5 pF primary-to-secondary capacitance, the UCC14240-Q1 can mitigate EMI caused by high-speed switching and comfortably achieve common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) performance of more than 150 V/ns.

The UCC14240-Q1’s integrated closed-loop control enables ±1,0% accuracy from -40°C to 150°C. The device’s tight tolerance enables the use of smaller power switches while also improving overcurrent protection. Fault monitoring, overcurrent protection, overpower protection and overtemperature protection are all fully integrated. The UCC14240-Q1 offers third-party-certified 3 kVrms isolation and delivers high vibration immunity due to its ultra-low weight and height.

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