Finepower Packs 3kW GaN-Based On-Board Charger into One Liter

Conventional on-board chargers (OBCs) for electric cars are now reaching their performance and space limits. Finepower is aiming to set new standards with its new GaN-based charger. The company has developed an on-board charger (OBC) based on gallium nitride (GaN) which, at 3kW/liter, exceeds the power density of conventional chargers by 300%.

Greater ranges and a denser network of powerful charging stations are urgently needed to increase the attractiveness of electric vehicles. Until then, on-board chargers will give electric cars the necessary independence, because practically every socket will become a charging station. Due to the increasing storage size of the accumulators and the limited space available in the vehicles, however, conventional devices with silicon transistors are reaching their limits.

As a result, Finepower's water-cooled OBC measuring 210 x 50 x 60 mm (without housing) is extremely compact. It can convert input voltages from 85- to 264-Vac with a maximum power of 3,600W to dc voltages from 200- to 450-Vdc. The maximum output current is 10Adc.

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Thanks to the innovative single-stage IBI-LLC topology, this happens at 230Vac with an efficiency of 97%. With 115Vac input voltage, the efficiency is still 93%. Due to the power factor of over 0.98, the nominal power of the supply can be skimmed off almost completely as active power.

Due to the completely DSP-based control, the OBC can be individually adapted to the respective operating conditions. Communication takes place via the standardized CAN bus. Up to three GaN chargers can be coupled together for three-phase supply, for example via three-phase sockets.

Special features:

• Power density up to 3 kW/liter
• Innovative single-stage IBI-LLC topology
• Prepared for three-phase operation with three OBCs
• Fully digital control with DSP
• GaN power transistors

Technical data

• Maximum input power: 3,600W
• Input voltage range: 85- to 264-Vac
• Output voltage range: 200- to 450-Vdc
• Maximum output current: 10Adc
• Maximum efficiency: 97% at 230Vac; 93% at 115-Vac
• Power factor: >0.98
• Dimensions: 210 x 90 x 60 mm (without housing)
• Operating temperature: -40°C to 60°C, water-cooled
• Communication: CAN-BUS