April/May 2021

CONTENTS www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2021 Power Electronics Europe 3 Editor Achim Scharf Tel: +49 (0)892865 9794 Fax: +49 (0)892800 132 Email: PowerElectronicsEurope@t-online.de Production Editor Chris Davis Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Financial Manager Clare Jackson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Reader/Circulation Enquiries Perception Tel: +44 (0) 1825 701520 Email: dfamedia@dmags.co.uk INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICES Mainland Europe: Victoria Hufmann Norbert Hufmann Tel: +49 911 9397 643 Fax: +49 911 9397 6459 Email: pee@hufmann.info Eastern US Ian Atkinson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: ian@dfamedia.co.uk Western US and Canada Ian Atkinson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: ian@dfamedia.co.uk Japan: Yoshinori Ikeda, Pacific Business Inc Tel: 81-(0)3-3661-6138 Fax: 81-(0)3-3661-6139 Email: pbi2010@gol.com Taiwan Prisco Ind. Service Corp. Tel: 886 2 2322 5266 Fax: 886 2 2322 2205 Publisher & UK Sales Ian Atkinson Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 Email: ian@dfamedia.co.uk www.power-mag.com Circulation and subscription: Power Electronics Europe is available for the following subscription charges. Power Electronics Europe : annual charge UK/NI £95, overseas $160, EUR 150. Contact: DFA Media, 192 The High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE Great Britain. Tel: +44 (0)1732 370340 . Fax: +44 (0)1732 360034 . Refunds on cancelled subscriptions will only be provided at the Publisher’s discretion, unless specifically guaranteed within the terms of subscription offer. Editorial information should be sent to The Editor, Power Electronics Europe , PO Box 340131, 80098 Munich, Germany. The contents of Power Electronics Europe are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. Printed by: Warners. ISSN 1748-3530 PAGE 6 Market News PEE looks at the latest Market News and company developments PAGE 12 Industry News PAGE 15 PCIM PAGE 25 GaN Raises Electric Vehicle Powertrain Performance In recent years, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) have multiplied on our global roads. Industry analysts expect that 56 million new EVs will be sold in 2040. The electricity consumption that accompanies this growth will rise to 1,800 TWh, representing 5 % of global power according to Bloomberg NEF’s Electric Vehicle Outlook. A smart, smaller, lighter-weight powertrain is a key area in creating changes for the EV industry. Jimmy Liu, Technical Marketing Director, GaN Systems Inc., Ottawa. Canada PAGE 28 Novel GaN Design Reduces Volume of AC/DC Converters Substantially In recent years, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) have multiplied on our Power Integrations recently released a GaN-based IC called MinE-CAP, intended for use in a new generation of mobile credit card-sized chargers or offline power supplies. By halving the size of the high-voltage bulk electrolytic capacitors required in offline power supplies, this IC enables a reduction in adapter size of up to 40 %. The device also reduces in-rush current making NTC thermistors unnecessary, increasing system efficiency and reducing heat dissipation. Andy Smith, Product marketing manager at Power Integrations discusses this new GaN application in detail. PAGE 32 Powering Low-Power Sensors for the Internet of Things Low-power sensors for the Internet of Things will be embedded into streets, offices and factories to collect data for years and share it with the cloud, most likely wirelessly. The use of batteries as a power source is one of the key areas developers have to address. It comprises many issues around limited lifetimes, product sustainability, manufacturing materials, shipment issues and the disposal of the battery at the end of its life. However, we can look on the bright side as there is a solution that would allow us to reduce the size of the battery or at least remove it. Graeme Clark, Principle Engineer, Renesas Electronics Europe, UK PAGE 35 Web Locator Innovating Power Module Packaging A system’s power delivery network or PDN is made up of passive and active components such as cables, connectors, AC-DC and DC-DC converters and regulators. As power levels increase to enable new features and the electrification of mechanical and hydraulic systems, PDN performance is becoming more critical, and in some cases, constraining end system capabilities because of PDN footprint, weight and power losses. Power system design engineers are under increasing pressure to design a PDN that is small, lightweight and highly efficient, as this achievement can define a leadership product capable of delivering major end-system performance and competitive advantages for OEMs. Understanding the importance of these power system design challenges and key PDN performance specifications drives Vicor to constantly innovate to stay on the forefront of power systems technology. To do so requires a major commitment to innovation on many levels. The ChiP packaging approach focuses on the miniaturization of every single component and element that makes up the module. As Vicor makes further improvements in performance, ChiP packaging will exhibit new levels of innovation. For 40 years Vicor has pushed the limits of magnetics and power engineering routinely delivering the next generation of power-dense products for customer’s world-changing innovations. With this momentum and using the five pillars such as Power delivery architectures; Power conversion topologies; Control systems; Components and materials; and Power module packaging as a compass, the journey is nowhere near over. More details on page 22. Cover image supplied by Vicor, USA FEATURE STORY