Space-saving optocouplers for home appliances and industrial equipment

Vishay Intertechnology has expanded its optoelectronics portfolio with the announcement of two new series of optocouplers with phototriac output in compact DIP-6 and SMD-6 packages. Providing high off-state voltage of 800V and static dV/dt of 1000V/µs, the VOT8026A and VOT8123A achieve high robustness and noise isolation for home appliances and industrial equipment. The optocouplers isolate low voltage logic from 120VAC, 240VAC, and 380VAC lines to control resistive, inductive, or capacitive loads, as well as motors, solenoids, high current thyristors, or TRIACs and relays. Reducing design expense and saving board space, the devices comprise of a GaAs infrared LED optically coupled to either a zero-crossing TRIAC (VOT8026A) for EMI reduction without the necessity for external snubber networks or a random-phase TRIAC (VOT8123A) to allow phase-independent switching. The high off-state voltage of the devices enhances safety margins in one-phase applications while still managing enough voltage headroom for three-phase applications. For further safety, the optocouplers provide a withstanding isolation voltage of at least 5000VRMS. Low trigger currents of 5mA for the VOT8026A and 10mA for the VOT8123A facilitate an easy interface with digital logic. Typical applications for the RoHS-compliant optocouplers comprise power TRIAC drivers in solid-state relays, boilers, thermostats, three-phase air conditioners, industrial motor control and power line switching; and motor, lamp, and valve control in household appliances.