HOW2POWER TODAY

ISSUE: December 2024

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IN THIS ISSUE:

» Dynamic Load Stepping: A New Paradigm For Determining GPU/ASIC Power Rail Stability And Impedance

» Current Mode-Controlled DC-DC Regulators (Part 2): Loop Compensation And Load Transient Performance

» Designing An Open-Source Power Inverter (Part 22): Converter Regulator Dynamics

» Focus On Magnetics:
Power Magnetics Component Roundup

» New on How2Power.com

» Power Products

» Other Top Power News

As the year winds down, many of the same topics that were driving industry discussions at the beginning of the year are still doing so now. For example, AI continued to be the hot topic at the recent Electronica where semiconductor and power supply companies presented products and product roadmaps for addressing the projected increases in data center power consumption being driven by AI servers. Meanwhile, despite some slowdowns this year in the growth of electric vehicle sales, the development of power electronics for these vehicles continues unabated as suggested by the many reference designs on display at the fair in Munich. Indeed, as you browse power product and industry news in this issue, the influence of EV requirements on power component development is still very much in evidence. Meanwhile, as we close the books on 2024, the ongoing industry focus on SiC and GaN development and expanding their production remains strong. Some of this is driven by the data center and EV markets, but these semiconductor components seem to touch every application area for power electronics from consumer electronics to appliances to solar energy and a wide range of industrial applications — even space. The work in developing power converters for these applications — both with WBG power switches and silicon ICs — was also on display at Electronica 2024. Watch for more news about the products seen at this fair in How2Power’s Industry Events section and expect the topics mentioned here to continue to dominate the programs at next year’s conferences and tradeshows. Some of these subjects which are generating headlines and conversations, also come into play in the contributed articles published in this newsletter. Ponder the possible connections as you read this month’s design features on dynamic load stepping, compensating current-mode controlled converters, and managing regulator dynamics in battery converters. Happy Holidays!

HOW2POWER EXCLUSIVE DESIGN ARTICLES

Dynamic Load Stepping: A New Paradigm For Determining GPU/ASIC Power Rail Stability And Impedance

by Steve Sandler, Picotest, Phoenix, Ariz.

As GPUs, ASICs, and CPUs continue to push the boundaries of performance, the power systems that support them face unprecedented challenges. Before these advanced processors can be safely powered and tested, their power rails must undergo rigorous assessment with e-loads emulating massive, arbitrary current draw profiles at nanosecond edge speeds. While such challenging load profiles are being applied to the power system, engineers must evaluate critical factors like stability, large-signal voltage responses, and crosstalk between adjacent power rails. This article explores the limitations of the traditional approaches to power rail assessment, highlights the innovations driving a new generation of electronic loads, and introduces dynamic load stepping as a paradigm-shifting solution for assessing the demanding power requirements of cutting-edge GPUs, CPUs, and ASICs. Read the article…

Methods such as load step response testing,
Bode plot analysis, and even modern impedance
measurements are falling short when applied
to today’s high-current, high-speed power
planes, motivating development of a more
advanced form of load step testing.

Simulations will reveal how a lower
compensation capacitance helps reduce
the output voltage settling time
following a load current transient.

Current Mode-Controlled DC-DC Regulators (Part 2): Loop Compensation And Load Transient Performance

by Timothy Hegarty, Texas Instruments, Phoenix, Ariz.

Moving forward with the discussion of current-mode control, this article, part 2 of a multipart series, examines loop compensation of current-mode dc-dc regulators. The goal in the second installment of this series is to uncover simple expressions derived from the small-signal model to yield an intuitive compensator design procedure applicable to single- and multiphase regulator circuits. The simplicity of the design procedure, even with an error amplifier of finite gain bandwidth, will make it convenient for everyday use. A design example using a commercially available two-phase synchronous buck controller, along with circuit simulation in the time and frequency domains, will substantiate the theoretical analysis and demonstrate how to select values for the compensation network to achieve a target crossover frequency. Read the article…

Designing An Open-Source Power Inverter (Part 22): Converter Regulator Dynamics

by Dennis Feucht, Innovatia Laboratories, Cayo, Belize

Having addressed the magnetics and control circuit design in recent parts of this series, we now address other elements of designing the Volksinverter’s battery converter stage. These relate to regulator dynamics affecting the response of the converter. The converter voltage regulator loop traverses BCV401 and BCV402 Volksinverter modules. The output storage capacitor C_o is yet to be determined along with the BCV402 current-sense amplifier within the larger voltage control loop that includes some of the BCV401 circuitry. Design aspects of these circuits are expounded here. That extends to a derivation of the transfer functions for the voltage control loop of battery converter based on our choice of the CA (boost) converter topology. Read the article…

This part of the series addresses
selection of the output storage capacitor
and current-sense circuitry residing on
BCV402 (circuit shown here) as well as
circuits within the voltage control loop.

FOCUS ON MAGNETICS       
Sponsored by Payton Planar Magnetics
A monthly column presenting information on power magnetics design, products, or related technology

Power Magnetics Component Roundup

by David G. Morrison, Editor, How2Power.com

The latest power inductors, transformers, chokes, wireless charging coils and other magnetic components illustrate the ongoing efforts to provide greater performance in smaller packages. Among the many new power inductors, there are products leveraging innovative core materials, beneficial winding geometries, flat-wire windings and new molding compounds. In addition to reducing device size, these components provide improvements such as lower winding and core losses, higher saturation currents, and lower cost. Many of these inductors target power supply applications in consumer products, though automotive applications also remain a strong driver of inductor development. So there are many AEC-Q200-qualified parts among the new offerings, specifying wide operating temp ranges. Other interesting components include chokes for electric power steering and power over coax, and a low-profile, high-creepage isolation transformer for gate drives. Read the article…

NEW ON HOW2POWER.COM

Calendar of Events — Over 100 Listings For 2025

HOW2POWER’s Events Calendar lists selected conferences, tradeshows, workshops and webinars related directly or indirectly to power electronics. Our calendar currently lists over 100 events for 2025.

Visit this section …

POWER PRODUCTS

OTHER TOP POWER NEWS

Michigan State University has an opening for a tenure-system faculty position in the area of power electronics. Applications for appointment at the rank of assistant professor are encouraged; but exceptional candidates for associate or (full) professor will be considered.

Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) have developed a demo which confirms the suitability of CGD’s ICeGaN 650-V GaN ICs in a multi-level, 800-Vdc inverter.

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has announced that the Full Commission of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has affirmed its initial determination that Innoscience infringed EPC’s foundational patent for GaN technology.