EPC Launches New Bidirectional Converter for eMobility Battery Packs

February 16, 2022

EPC (Efficient Power Conversion) has announced the availability of its EPC9165, a 2 kW, two-phase 48V-14V bidirectional converter designed for high-density and high-power 48V battery packs, such as those required for eMobility and light mobility vehicles.

The company said the converter operates with 97% peak efficiency in a small footprint, with scalable options. Two converters can be paralleled for 4 kW, three converters for 6Kw, or only one phase can be used for 1 kW. With that phase the output is 14V, but because the topology is a hard-switching buck converter, the output voltage can be adjusted for voltages between 12V and 36V.

The reference design for the EPC9165 includes the EPC2302 GaN FET, which uses the company’s latest generation 100V GaN technology. It delivers 101A of continuous current and 390A of pulsed current. The thermally enhanced QFN package with an exposed top improves the thermal dissipation to the heatsink. It delivers 0.2 deg C/W thermal resistance to the heatsink, and wettable flanks simplify assembly inspection and improve robustness for thermal cycles.

The EPC9165 reference design also features the MPQ1918 100V automotive half-bridge driver that was developed specifically for use with GaN FETs. The driver is available in a small 3×3 mm FCQFN package with wettable flanks to enable optical inspection, EPC said. The device has a peak source current of 1.6A with a 0.2Ω / 1.2Ω pull-down/pull-up resistance to enable usage of high power FETs with faster switching edges to maximize efficiency and increase power density. Compared to other automotive half-bridge GaN drivers, this device provides higher efficiency, improves EMI, and is very cost effective, the company said.

“GaN FETs and ICs provide the fast switching, small size, and high efficiency needed to further reduce the size and weight of 48V to 12V/14V converters,” said Alex Lidow, CEO of EPC. “By utilizing the MPS 100V automotive gate driver and EPC’s first packaged device, the EPC2302, the EPC9165 reference design showcases a solution that increases efficiency, increases power density, and simplifies design; in space and weight critical designs like eMobility.”

The EPC9165 demonstration board costs $498 each, and is available immediately through Digi-Key. For more details on the EPR9165, visit this EPC website.