Vicor Corporation has released three automotive-grade power modules for 48-V EV systems that deliver top-power density and will support automotive OEM and tier-one production in 2025. The BCM6135, DCM3735, and PRM3735 use AEC-Q100-certified Vicor-designed ICs and have completed the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) with automotive customers.
The newly released Vicor modules can be arranged in over 300 configurations, offering extreme flexibility and scalability to support innovation for a variety of vehicle subsystems. Further, as the market shifts from 12 to a 48-V zonal architecture, these devices are highly efficient in converting to and from 48 V.
All three modules can be arrayed easily to increase power supply levels and have automatic power sharing for optimum performance. The modules solve complex challenges with 800, 400, 48, and 12-V systems.
Product features
The BCM6135 is a 98% efficient 2.5kW BCM bus converter and converts 800 V from the traction battery to 48 V to provide a safe extra-low voltage (SELV) power supply for the vehicle. The BCM6135 provides isolation between high and low voltage, which creates a large reduction in the space required for dc-dc conversion. The BCM6135’s power density of 158kW/L allows EV system designers to shrink the primary dc-dc converter to reduce vehicle weight.
The bi-directional rapid current transient response rate of eight mega-amps per second allows the BCM6135 to replace a 25lb 48-V battery by serving as a virtual 48-V battery in xEV vehicles to deliver additional cost and weight savings. The DCM3735 2.0kW DCM dc-dc converter transforms an unregulated 48-V input into a regulated 12-V output. It also has a wide input range that is compatible with a variety of automotive applications because the output can be trimmed within a range of 8 to 16 V.
Additionally, the DCM3735 has a power density of 300kW/L, making it an attractive choice for architectures bridging 48V distribution to 12V subsystems in zonal ECU applications. The PRM3735 is a 2.5kW PRM regulator for 48-V power that is 99.2% efficient. Its small footprint and 260kW/L power density frees up packaging space and reduces the volume and weight of the dc-dc power supply. It is best suited for regulated 48V loads implemented in new vehicle architectures.
Advantages
Vicor power modules are improving power delivery networks throughout the vehicle in innovative ways:
Active suspension comes of age in EVs: Power needs of active suspension system are too high to be met with 12V power. Switching to a 48V bus and converting down with the bidirectional BCM6135 is an efficient way to deliver high performance. This application also capitalizes on the BCM6135’s high slew rate as the active suspension is a regenerative power load, which requires immediate current flow reversal to pass regenerated power back to the battery.
Deleting or reducing the low-voltage battery: The slew rate of the BCM6135 presents an opportunity to replace a 48V battery — with the BCM serving as a virtual 48-V battery in the xEV vehicle, delivering cost and weight savings. Since the BCM6135 can switch from zero current to full current at 8.0MA/s, it can step down the traction battery’s 800V to 48V and power a load as fast as drawing the power from an auxiliary 48-V battery. The new dc-dc converter enables customers to reduce vehicle weight by up to 25kg while reducing vehicle costs.
The 48-V zonal architecture adoption is on every roadmap: The new power modules can be easily configured to make this transition easier. The DCM3735 is used in conjunction with BCM3735 to create a regulated 12-V power supply off the BCM6135 48V output. When used as a part of the 48V zonal architecture, the DCM3735 can be mounted remotely to create a local 12-V supply in a vehicle zone, for example on the righthand side. This application method allows the PDN designer to effectively support 12V loads while achieving up to 90% of the cost and weight savings that come from transitioning to a 48V bus.
Pre-charging prevents current surges and saves weight: Pre-charging is a necessary step in the start-up process. It prevents current surges at battery engagement that will damage the loads (such as pumps and compressors). Currently this is done using high-voltage contactors and resistors, which add 1kg and over $50 in cost. The alternative is to use the BCM6135 and a PRM3735 as the main dc-dc converters and one of the low-voltage batteries installed in the vehicle.
The BCM6135 can boost the low-voltage battery power up to high voltage and achieve the needed pre-charge, eliminating the legacy pre-charge contactor and power resistor. The flexibility of the power modules enable a host of automotive applications to be powered.
More importantly, they deliver on the promise of 48-V adoption. Whether converting the high-voltage traction battery to 48V, delivering point-of-load power from a 48-V bus, or enabling legacy 12-V sub-systems to live in new 48V zonal architectures, Vicor’s high-performance, automotive-grade power modules deliver the highest power density while reducing power loss and simplifying designs.
Filed Under: Technology News