Vicor adds high-power, wide-input bus converters to family

Offering pin-to-pin, drop-in functional equivalence to industry-standard converters, the IBC 048 and IBC 050 products enable designers to achieve significant increases in power density thanks not only to higher power ratings, but also to PCB space liberated by the reduced need for external passive components.

The latest model, introduced at PCIM, is the IB050Q096T70N1-00, a high-power, 5:1 conversion ratio, open-frame drop-in replacement for industry-standard intermediate bus converters. It operates from a wide input voltage range of 36 to 60V at power levels of up to 750W, with 2,250Vdc isolation from input to output, while achieving over 98% peak efficiency. The IB050Q096T70N1-00 delivers an output bus voltage of 7 to 12V, while other family members with 4:1 conversion output 8.7 to 15V. The family includes standard 38 to 55V input range converters (IBC 048) as well as the wide-input IBC 050 types.

In all cases the modules are compliant with ETSI EN300 132-2 for 48V telecom applications; and their higher input-to-output isolation complies with IEEE 802.3 Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) standards. IBC 048 and 050 VI BRICK™ Bus Converters use Vicor's Sine Amplitude Converter technology, with a 1MHz switching frequency, 10-times faster transient response, greatly reduced harmonic emissions, and elimination of external bulk storage capacitors. The IB050Q096T70N1-00 also removes the need for costly heat sinks. Full power is available at 55°C ambient and only 200LFM (linear feet/min) of airflow.

The product’s standard quarter-brick outline of 58.4 x 36.8 mm has a profile of just 10.5 mm. Other devices in the family with 300W and 500W output ratings come in the eighth-brick format measuring 58.4 x 22.9 mm with an even lower profile of just 9.5 mm. The products’ very small cross section generates a minimal cooling air “shadow”, assisting in effective cooling of downstream components.