New Industry Products

Ericsson Announces New Series Of Customized DC-DC Power Modules

December 18, 2008 by Jeff Shepard

Ericsson Power Modules introduced its BMR653 3+ series, a customized dc-dc module based on the company’s standard ’building blocks’, or commercial products (in this case the PKM-B). Ericsson’s Customer Specified Products group provides optimized solutions for applications where off-the-shelf products do not match 100% of the customers’ specification.

The BMR653 3+ was designed to power an intermediate bus voltage requiring 12V at 60A, in an application where board space was the most critical parameter – in fact limited to standardized quarter-brick footprint. With a power density of 13.9W/cm3 (184W/in3) and with what is described as excellent thermal performance, the BMR653 3+ is suitable to power applications such as routers, optical switches, data-storage, ATCA, MicroTCA, embedded computing and many others where board space is critical - quarter-brick and a height of 2.54 cm (1inch), or higher.

Effectively, the BMR653 3+ is for use in any application that demands high power in combination with a small footprint whilst using forced air-cooling. Traditionally, such a power levels are offered in the so-called half-brick package size (35cm – 5.47in2), whereas the BMR653 3+ with its quarter-brick footprint (21.3cm2 – 3.3in2) saves on board space. Further, maintaining compatibility with the standardized quarter-brick format makes it possible for customers to adjust the power solution when upgrading central processors or adding storage capacity, without having to redesign all of the board.

With its high efficiency figure of 96% (typical at 12Vout, 50percent load and 48Vin), the BMR653 3+ simplifies thermal management. Additionally, as a stacked product it is designed to provide efficient airflow ’through’ the module, thus reducing airflow resistance and further improving thermal performance. The BMR653 3+ features a versatile input voltage range of 36 to 75V, and offers 1500Vdc input to output isolation. Full protection is provided including input under voltage, over temperature, output over voltage, and output short-circuit protection. It also features remote control and optional latching OTP and OVP.

The company claims that the BMR653 3+ offers twice the power of a conventional quarter-brick, and that it is the first quarter brick on the market to deliver 650W at 40°C and 2m/s airflow. Its electrical platform uses a highly optimized power-train, planar-magnetic type, with a special layout to reduce power conduction losses.

The module’s mechanical assembly concept is based on the use of low resistive pins interconnecting the stacked modules to the end-user’s board without any disruption in conduction, or the use of intermediate connectors. This is the first product that Ericsson has released using this mechanical concept, and easy paralleling that was developed for new modules such as the digitally controlled BMR453, combined with piggyback assembling make it possible for Ericsson to extend its product offering to embrace and simplify highly demanding applications.

"Since 1983, Ericsson Power Modules has designed standardized, high end power supplies for a range of applications and customer specified solutions for a limited few," said Patrick Le Fèvre, Marketing and Communication Director at Power Modules. "With our extensive experience in the design and development of power supply products and solutions, not only can we provide economical off-the-shelf products, but as illustrated by the BMR653 3+, we can also offer customer specified power solutions for use in a large range of applications."