Wireless Power Demo Boards Operate at 6.78 MHz with GaN FETs
Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) today announced the introduction of demonstration boards for wireless power transfer in an innovative high performance topology; Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS) Class-D. The EPC9506 and EPC9507 amplifier (source) boards utilize the high frequency switching capability of EPC gallium nitride transistors to facilitate wireless power systems with greater than 75% efficiency.
The requirements of wireless energy transfer systems include high efficiency, low profile, robustness to changing operating conditions and, in some cases, light weight. These requirements translate into designs that need to be efficient and able to operate at high switching speeds without a bulky heatsink. Furthermore the design must be able to operate over a wide range of coupling and load variations. The fast switching capability of eGaN FETs is well-suited for highly-resonant power transfer applications.
The EPC9506 and EPC9507 are high efficiency, A4WP compliant, Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS), Voltage Mode Class-D wireless power transfer amplifier (source) boards capable of delivering up to 35 W into a dc load while operating at up to 6.78 MHz. The boards feature the 40 V EPC2014 (EPC9506) and the 100 V EPC2007 (EPC9507) eGaN FETs. Both boards are configured to operate in either a half-bridge topology (for single-ended con¬figuration) or full-bridge topology (for differential configuration), and include the gate driver(s) and oscillator that ensure operation of the boards at a fixed frequency. EPC9506 and EPC9507 demonstration boards are priced at $418.95 each and are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key.
In addition to the stand-alone amplifier (source) boards available now, EPC will be introducing shortly a family of full system demonstration kits. The full kits include the amplifier (source) board, a Class 3 A4WP compliant source coil (transmit coil), and a Category 3 A4WP compliant device coil with rectifier and dc smoothing capacitor.
