Digital quarter-brick DC-DC features increased power rating to 1700W peak

Flex Power Modules has released an enhanced version of its BMR350 non-isolated quarter-brick DC-DC bus converter, the BMR350 x250/531. Continuous power rating has been increased from 860W to 1300W, with a peak power capability of 1700W.

The product keeps the same footprint of 58.4mm x 36.8mm and height of only 12mm, and has the same input range of 40-60VDC (80V/100 ms). Output is set at nominal 12.12VDC, now rated at 108A continuous (170A peak) and is adaptable from 8V to 13.2V. An additional bottom side cooling plate allows the improved rating along with doubling up of output connector pins.

As with the original device the product is excellent as an intermediate bus converter for powering processors and ASICs with high peak power demands. The product provides an innovative transformer-coupled, non-isolated topology which lowers component count and current stress and delivers an efficiency level peaking at 97.7% at 54V input. Derating for the product is characterised by the innovative 3D thermal data graphs which determine available output power for given real-world pin and baseplate temperatures. This enables maximum power to be extracted with no stress to the converter. For even higher power levels, active current sharing between paralleled modules is provided. The device meets EMI standard EN 55032/FCC part 15J ‘Class B’ when employed with a recommended external filter.

Full protection is incorporated against output over-voltage, over-current and module over-temperature, and a PMBus interface offers remote control and monitoring, supported by the ‘Flex Power Designer’ software tool. A certain feature is the inclusion of an ‘event data recorder’ which may be interrogated even after a converter shutdown to analyse any specific stress or fault conditions. Terminations are via through-hole pins which are ideal for pin-in-paste reflow, wave or manual soldering.

Olle Hellgren, director product management and marketing of Flex Power Modules comments “We have nearly doubled the power rating of our BMR350 product in the same size for an even wider range of applications as a bus converter. With its innovative cost-saving technology, the product now represents even better dollar per watt value”.