Next-generation fan motor drivers simplify design

Three new devices for driving three- phase BLDC motors via 180 degree sinusoidal waveforms have been introduced by ON Semiconductor. Designed for use in cooling fans of household appliances such as refrigerators, as well as games consoles and computing equipment, the LV8811, LV8813, and LV8814 have voltage ranges of 3.6V to 16V, 6V to 16V, and 3.6V to 16V respectively. The highly-integrated, software-less motor drivers simplify motor control circuit design by eliminating software development time. In addition, these devices reduce acoustic noise and vibration, and enable deployment of energy efficient motor controls. They can be controlled by a single Hall sensor, reducing system costs. Motor speed can be set by either a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal or a DC voltage. Furthermore, their lead angle can easily be adjusted. The LV8811, the LV8813, and the LV8814 incorporate over-current, over-voltage, under-voltage, and over-temperature protection functions. Also included are locked rotor protection and auto-recovery mechanisms. Soft start-up and shutdown functionality ensures that ongoing operational stability is maintained, says the company. “Appliance manufacturers need to heighten the energy efficiency of their products in order to adhere to the latest guidelines. They are also under a great deal of pressure from consumers for these products to deliver smooth, silent operation,” said Ikuya Kawasaki, general manager, Intelligent Power Solution Division, ON Semiconductor. “The 180 degree drive and lead angle adjustment of our LV8811/LV8813/LV8814 offering enable engineers to design systems that attain the elevated performance characteristics that are now being demanded. Moreover, design engineers can save development time and workload, and rapidly roll-out their products.” The LV8811/LV8813/LV8814 are all supplied in RoHS-compliant TSSOP-20J / SSOP-20 packages.