News: Microelectronics
3 November 2023
EPC launches 100V eGaN FET-based 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter reference design
Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA – which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications – has announced the availability of the EPC9194, a 3-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive inverter reference design that operates from an input supply voltage range of 14V to 60V and delivers up to 60Apk (40ARMS) output current. This voltage range and power level makes it suitable for a variety of 3-phase BLDC motor drives including e-bikes, e-scooters, drones, robots, and DC servo motors.
Measuring just 130mm x 100mm (including the connector), the EPC9194 demonstration board features six EPC2302 100V eGaN FETs in a 3mm x 5mm QFN package. The EPC2302 offers a small R DS(on) of just 1.8mΩ, combined with very small QG, QGD and QOSS parameters for reduced conduction and switching losses. The package is a thermally enhanced QFN with exposed top for enhanced heat dissipation to the heatsink, and wettable flanks for easy inspections.
The estimated total power loss with six EPC2302’s at 20ARMS and with 100kHz PWM frequency is half that of a silicon MOSFET solution with the same R DS(on) operating at 16kHz PWM frequency, it is reckoned. The 100kHz PWM frequency enables a quasi-pure sinusoidal current, reducing vibration and distortion in the motor and resulting in about 7% higher motor system efficiency. Additionally, 100kHz PWM frequency allows for the reduction of the input filter and the elimination or reduction of electrolytic capacitors.
The EPC9194 incorporates all the critical circuit functions required to support a complete motor drive inverter, including gate drivers, regulated auxiliary power rails for housekeeping supplies, voltage and temperature sense, accurate current sense, and protection functions.
With a 48V input and 100kHz PWM frequency, the board can deliver 20ARMS steady state without heatsink with a temperature rise of 60°C, and more than 30ARMS with a heatsink.
The EPC9194 is compatible with various controllers from different manufacturers, allowing for quick development and reduced design cycle times. EPC offers control interface boards (EPC9147X) to operate this inverter reference design with the many common BLDC motors. The EPC9194KIT includes the EPC9194 evaluation board and a controller board that allows the board to be interfaced easily with a microcontroller design kit:
- EPC9147A controller board to interface to popular Microchip microcontrollers;
- EPC9147C controller board to interface to popular ST microcontrollers;
- EPC9147B controller board to interface to popular TI microcontrollers; and
- EPC9147E controller board to interface to generic microcontrollers.
“Designers can use EPC GaN FETs to make lighter-weight and more efficient battery-operated motor drives for a wide variety of e-mobility and robotic applications,” says EPC’s CEO Alex Lidow. “GaN enables motor systems that are smaller, lighter, quieter, more powerful and more precise while improving EMI, reducing the need for EMI filtering and capacitors, and eliminating electrolytic capacitors and input filter inductors.”
The EPC9194 reference design board is priced at $909 and is available for immediate delivery from distributor Digi-Key Corp.
EPC makes available 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter reference design board
