4MHz Military-Grade Power Supplies are 90% Smaller and Lighter, 80% Lower Cost

On-Systems, a young British company that specializes in innovative power supply design for harsh environments, has launched the PEBBLE100, a 100W COTS, rugged, EMI-silent laptop power supply for defense, avionics and mobile applications that is a fraction of the size, weight and cost of current designs.

PEBBLE100 is the first in a series of harsh-environment PSUs from the company which combine a new topology, custom-designed FET drivers and fast switching speed to deliver industry-changing benefits. Future models will include the PEBBLE200, PEBBLE350, and PEBBLE700.

On-Systems' new topology combines three stages into one, reducing I²R losses and increasing efficiency. On-Systems has worked with a leading power semiconductor company to design new very fast FET drivers, allowing the Pebble to switch at 4MHz.

This high switching frequency reduces the size of the EMC filtering components required, such that the laptop PSU meets all defense EMC performance standards, including MIL-STD 1275A-E, MIL-STD 704A-F, DEF-STAN 59-411 and MIL-STD 461 E-F EMC, in a package measuring just 115 x 52 x 36mm and weighing only 180g. Pebble is 96% efficient and operates over universal input range of 90- to 264-Vac (dc-input models have an input voltage range of 18- to 38-Vdc).

Standard output voltages include 12-, 17-, 19-, 20-, 24- and 28-dc. Standard features include short circuit, overload and overvoltage protection. PEBBLE100 is offered with two operating temperature ranges; the standard range is -20 to +60 degrees C, and the extended ("X") range is -40 to +70 degrees C. These power supplies have a four year warranty.

Explained On-Systems' CCO Mike Harvey: "Traditional laptop power supplies that must be electrically-‘silent' for use in secure, harsh environments are about the same size as a laptop and weigh 2-3kg, because they need so much filtering and heatsinking. Pebble, by contrast, retains the familiar look and feel of a commercial power adaptor, yet it is fully certified for defense use.

"More, we can use the same technology in other applications - notably in aircraft fuel pump systems - where the space and weigh saving will be of especial interest," added Harvey.

Summary of PEBBLE100 features:

• Universal AC input range; 90V to 264Vac @ 50Hz
• DC input range; 18- to 38-Vdc
• MIL-STD 1275A-E | MIL-STD 704A-F | DO-160E-G | DEF-STAN 59-411 | SDIP-27 Level-B
• MIL-STD 461 E-F EMC Compliance
• DEF-STAN 00-35 & MIL-STD 810 D-F Environmental Compliance
• Efficiency up to 96%
• 4 Year warranty
• >750,000 hours MTBF (MIL-STD 217F, GB, 25 degrees C)
• CE Marked LVD & EMC
• Isolation Class I & Class II compliant (ac-input models only)
• Active PFC
• Short Circuit | Overload | Overvoltage protection
• IP65 Ingress Protection | Flying Input Lead Variant
• Wide Operating Temperature: -20C to +60C