- STMicroelectronics’ extension of its digital power portfolio brings fast response, better efficiency and reduced design cycle
- Users will be able to easily configure the device using eDesignSuite software
STMicroelectronics has extended its range of digital power-supply controllers with the STNRGPF02 for two-channel interleaved boost-PFC topologies. Users will now be able to easily configure the device using eDesignSuite software that also helps in quick completion of the circuit design and selected external components. Typical applications of the device include industrial motors, air conditioners, domestic and commercial appliances, cellular base-stations, telecom infrastructure, data centre equipment and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
The STNRGPF02 brings the advantages of digital power to applications from 600W to 6kW, including greater flexibility and faster design cycles as compared to typical analogue approaches. At the same time, system integration is greater than other digital solutions that require a separate DSP or microcontroller.
The device operates in continuous conduction mode (CCM) at fixed frequency with average current-mode control. An optimised combination of analogue and digital control provides a hardware analogue Proportional-Integral (PI) compensator in the inner current loop and a digital PI controller in the outer voltage loop, thus ensuring a fast response. Cascaded control for the voltage and current loops regulates the output voltage by acting on the total average inductor current.
Offers maximum energy efficiency
Designed for mechanical inrush-current control using an external relay or triac, the new controller joins ST’s digital-power portfolio along with the STNRGPF12 for digital inrush control with a solid-state device. Both controllers support programmable phase shedding, load feed-forward and burst mode to maximize energy efficiency. Built-in protection features include programmable fast-acting thermal and over-current protection (OCP), over-voltage protection (OVP) and soft-start management. PFC Fault and PFC OK status indicators are also provided.
The STNRGPF02 can be easily configured using eDesignSuite by inputting the converter specifications and running the configurator. The tool generates a full schematic, Bill of Materials (BOM) and binary object code as firmware ready to download via the IC’s serial communication port, which greatly reduces the typical power-supply design cycle. The serial port also allows monitoring of the PFC parameters.
Packaged as a TSSOP38 device, the STNRGPF02 is in production now. An evaluation board, STEVAL-IPFC02V1, is available to jump-start development with the STNRGPF02. The board contains a PFC reference design that combines analogue cycle-by-cycle current regulation with the flexibility of digital control to implement power supplies with very high-power factor and very low harmonic distortion.
