Power Integrations and Ideal Power to collaborate on SSCBs
Power Integrations and Ideal Power, developer of the B-TRAN bidirectional power switch, are working together to deliver a solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) solution providing fast, efficient, always-on protection that scales with the 800 VDC transition in AI data centres.
The companies will collaborate on a new architecture combining Power Integrations’ 1700 V InnoMux-2 power conversion ICs with Ideal Power’s B-TRAN switches to deliver a self-powered, intelligent, ultra-fast SSCB. They have also demonstrated a working prototype and are working on a reference design.
In the next generation intelligent SSCB architecture, the InnoMux-2 IC converts 800 V into isolated power for gate-drive, control electronics, sensing, and auxiliary circuitry. Ideal Power’s B-TRAN switch uses that intelligence to protect the 800 V power path to the AI computing load.
The InnoMux-2 IC features 1700 V PowiGaN technology, which can operate from an 800 VDC bus with significant margin. The IC provides multiple independently regulated outputs instead of a conventional architecture with one isolated PSU followed by multiple DC-DC converters. This self-powered protection solution eliminates the need for an external auxiliary supply while enabling ultra-fast fault isolation. according to the company.
“High efficiency, ultra-fast fault interruption is essential for enabling the migration to 800 VDC AI data centres and energy infrastructure. Traditional protection methods are proving to be inadequate. Mechanical breakers are too slow, while previous semiconductor-based breakers have historically been disqualified by high power loss,” said David Somo, CEO of Ideal Power.
“Power Integrations offers a unique combination of 1700 V GaN capability, multiple independently regulated outputs, high integration, and a compact solution footprint that is well suited to our 800 VDC solid-state circuit breaker architecture, which must meet demanding power efficiency requirements and strict mechanical constraints.”
