Power Integrations has introduced the BridgeSwitch-2 BLDC IC family, enhancing their offerings for brushless DC motors (BLDC). This new family of high-voltage integrated half-bridge (IHB) motor-driver ICs targets applications up to 1 HP (746 W). These ICs incorporate high- and low-side drivers and advanced FREDFETs with integrated lossless current sensing, achieving up to 99 per cent inverter efficiency.
Key features of the BridgeSwitch-2 ICs include:
- High Efficiency and Reliability: The IHB architecture eliminates hot spots, enhancing design flexibility and reliability. This also reduces component count and saves PCB space.
- Power Management: These ICs support quiescent BLDC inverters in sleep mode, reducing driver power consumption to under 10 mW.
- Safety and Certification: The ICs work on operational exceptions in hardware, that allow the use of IEC 60730 Class A safety software, significantly reducing certification time.
- MotorXpert Software Suite: This suite includes single-phase trapezoidal control and three-phase sensor-less Field Oriented Control (FOC) modules, expediting inverter development. The GUI-based tool, terminal emulator, and MISRA C-compliant code library facilitate real-time optimization without the need for repeated firmware updates.
- Wide Range of Applications: The power range of 30 to 746 W makes these ICs suitable for a variety of applications such as heat exchanger fans, refrigerator compressors, pumps, and kitchen appliances.
- Built-in Protection and Reporting: They feature DC overvoltage protection, current limits, and real-time phase current (IPH) reporting. The choice of error-flag or comprehensive fault bus reporting supports diverse system requirements and enables failure prediction.
- Compliance and Integration: The ICs meet IEC 60335-1 Class A requirements without an auxiliary power supply, reducing PCB area and component count further.
Cristian Ionescu-Catrina, product marketing manager at Power Integrations, emphasized the low standby consumption and efficiency improvements of BridgeSwitch-2-based motor drives, which help designers meet stringent EU ERP regulations and optimize motor architecture without frequent firmware updates.
