New Industry Products

IXYS Introduces the VUM85-05A PFC Module

January 09, 2000 by Jeff Shepard

IXYS Corp. (Santa Clara, CA) recently announced that it has begun shipping what it claims is the industry's first integrated power module designed specifically for three-phase power-factor correction of off-line switching power supplies and power-conversion circuits.

According to IXYS, the new 500V, 140A VUM85-05A power-factor correction product integrates seven discrete semiconductors consisting of five rectifiers, one power MOSFET and one thyristor into a power module with solderable pins for printed circuit-board connection. Three modules are used together to accomplish the three-phase power-factor correction. The company based its new module on what it claims is an innovative concept, the Kolar Converter, for which the company has filed a patent.

"This unique architecture of the Kolar Converter simplifies the circuit with minimal parts count while minimizing line-current harmonics especially in high-power communications and network switched-mode power supplies," said Andreas Sperner, IXYS vice president of European sales and marketing. "In fact, one of our first design wins for the VUM85 module was at a leading manufacturer of storage area network equipment."

In quantities of 1,000, pricing for the VUM85-05A is $71.62 each. It is available from factory stock.