The IHB architecture eliminates hot spots, increasing design flexibility and reliability, reducing the number of components, and saving PCB space. BridgeSwitch-2 is compatible with MotorXpert™ software suite, which includes single-phase trapezoidal control modules and sensorless three-phase field-oriented control (FOC) modules, accelerating converter development.
The BridgeSwitch-2 integrated circuits manage operational exceptions in hardware, enabling the use of IEC 60730 Class Aand reducing certification time by months. The quiescent BLDC inverters can be put into sleep mode, reducing controller power consumption to less than 10 mW; this frees up more power within the regulated standby power limits for allocation to loads such as grid access and monitoring.
According to Cristian Ionescu-Catrina, Product Marketing Manager at Power Integrations, “The low standby power consumption of BridgeSwitch-2-based motor drives allows designers to meet new and emerging EU ERP regulations. Furthermore, BridgeSwitch-2 integrated circuits are significantly more efficient than IGBT-based IPMs across the entire load range.” He added, “From commissioning to performance optimization, MotorXpert’s GUI-based tool, terminal emulator, and MISRA C-compliant code library greatly simplify the design process, enabling real-time optimization of the motor architecture without the need for repeated firmware updates.” He continued, “BridgeSwitch-2 is microprocessor-independent, making it easy to adopt in existing systems—an important factor when engineers are upgrading designs to meet increasingly stringent standby regulations.”
The BridgeSwitch-2 integrated circuits cover a power range from 30 to 746 W (1 HP) and encompass a wide range of applications, including heat exchanger fans, refrigerator compressors, fluid and circulation pumps, gas boiler combustion fans, washing machine drums, and kitchen mixers and blenders. The BHI architecture reduces the number of components by 50% and the printed circuit board footprint by 30% compared to discrete designs by eliminating shunt resistors and associated signal conditioning circuitry. Shunt losses are also eliminated, improving efficiency. Real-time phase current (IPH) information enables precise motor control. Precise on/off gate actuation and a soft-body diode result in a typical EMI profile 10 dB lower than existing drivers, allowing for the selection of a smaller EMI filter.
The BridgeSwitch-2 integrated circuits incorporate DC overvoltage protection and current limits that safeguard the inverter and the system independently of system software. The option of fault signaling or comprehensive bus-based fault notification supports a wide range of system requirements. New use cases, such as fault prediction, are now possible thanks to the high accuracy of the integrated IPH information and the comprehensive fault notification via the bus. BridgeSwitch-2 motor drives utilize integrated, hardware-based low- and high-current overcurrent protection to meet the requirements of IEC 60335-1 Class A. BridgeSwitch-2 also operates without an auxiliary power supply, further reducing the PCB area and the number of components.
Availability and Resources:
The price of BridgeSwitch-2 integrated circuits starts at $0.48 for quantities of 10,000 units. A 150 W reference design and design report, RDK-974, is available for free download. For more information, contact a Power Integrations sales representative or one of the company's authorized worldwide distributors: DigiKey, Newark, Mouser, and RS Components, or visit power.com.
