Coreless power solution named finalist at Elektra Awards

Medical and industrial applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and particle accelerators (PA) generate high magnetic fields in order to induce the RF energy required to activate the hydrogen nuclei in the case of imaging, or to accelerate particles in research and industrial equipment.

Using the latest technology in high-frequency switching topologies and digital control with proprietary firmware to optimise efficiency and voltage regulation, Powerbox’s GB350 buck-converter module is the first building block in its category that is able to operate safely when exposed to such high radiation magnetic fields of 2 to 4 Tesla. The GB350 delivers an output power of 350W and when higher power levels are required it can be paralleled using an interleaving mode, thus reducing EMI.

Specifically designed to respond to this demand and to guarantee the highest efficiency and tightly regulated output voltage under any load conditions, Powerbox’s GB350 coreless power unit is fully controlled by a digital processor that manages the complete power unit from switching parameters (e.g. dead-time and duty-cycle optimisation) to output voltage characterisation. To guarantee a high level of flexibility and the possibility to re-profile the power unit characteristics when equipment manufacturers upgrade hardware or implement a software revision, the GB350 micro-controller can be programmed with optimised configuration files downloaded through the digital interface.

“It is apt and fitting that Powerbox has achieved finalist status in the Power System Product of the Year category of the Elektra Awards for a product that is truly innovative, and it’s a strong signal that Powerbox’s clever combination of the latest technology in digital power coupled with our own advanced coreless energy transfer makes the GB350 a very important component of the Powerbox Custom Power Solution toolbox,” said Patrick Le Fèvre, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer at Powerbox. “With more than 3,500 Custom Power projects delivered to market, it is very important to have a strong platform portfolio, reducing time to market in demanding applications such as medical magnetic resonance imaging.”