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Addressing 400-Vdc power in advanced industrial and data-center apps

by Steve Oliver, Vicor, Power Systems Design Europe, Jul 30 2013

Focus:
Data centers are turning to 400-Vdc power distribution systems (also known as 380-Vdc systems) to improve efficiency while also streamlining the power system. This article goes into some detail on these benefits, describes recent progress in the development of these 400-V dc systems, the publication of relevant standards, and demonstrations of applicable hardware. With that as background, the article discusses the application of Vicor’s new ChiP technology to 400-V dc power distribution systems. Specifically, it describes the efficiency and power density benefits that can be achieved using Vicor’s board-level power converters to step down the 400-V dc bus to 48 V dc. The solution described includes a bus converter module (BCM) followed by a buck-boost converter or “equalizer.” Under normal operation only the BCM operates and the equalizer is bypassed. But if input voltage drops below the 365- to 400-V range (to values as low as 260 V), then the equalizer is activated so that 48-V output can be maintained long enough to perform a controlled system shutdown.

What you’ll learn:

Notes:
This is an abbreviated version of Vicor’s white paper, ”High-voltage DC distribution is key to increased system efficiency and renewable-energy opportunities,” which goes into greater detail on power system architectures and solutions. But that white paper is a year older, so it may not mention some of the industry developments cited here. For example, Vicor’s ChiP technology is not mentioned in the white paper because it had not yet been introduced. But the ChiP name mainly refers to the company’s new packaging format; the underlying Vicor converter technology is the same. See the Design Guide description of the white paper.

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