High-efficiency DC-DC converters provide 48V-12V power conversion

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. has expanded its ultra-efficient non-isolated bus converter (NIBC) family with two new quarter brick modules for 48V power conversion in advanced ICT equipment, including AI servers, compute, and networking, as well as in industrial applications such as robotics, test and measurement.

The new Artesyn NDQ1300 1300W and NDQ1600 1600W quarter-brick modules operate with peak efficiencies up to 98%, making them excellent for high-performance applications where power density is a critical design criterion. Each of the modules can convert a 48V input into a fully regulated 12V output for non-isolated, low-voltage, high-current power stages, as well as PCIe slots and memory devices.

“Today’s power system designers are focusing on efficiency and form factor as they look to deliver the low-loss power conversion essential to emerging AI and next-generation industrial applications,” said Joe Voyles, Advanced Energy’s vice president, Industrial Power Conversion, System Power. “The NDQ1300 and NDQ1600 deliver high power density and high efficiency across the range, offer a standard footprint to optimise performance, reduce power use and size, and simplify design.”

The new products feature a flat efficiency curve, ensuring that modules deliver optimal power conversion across a wide range of loads. An integrated PMBus interface supports flexible digital control and monitoring. Current-share and remote sensing options allow multiple power supplies to connect in parallel, supporting higher load current or redundancy. Additionally, the NDQ products utilise an inherently safe transformer-based topology that is resilient to transient loads, making it easier to design applications for inrush current control during start-up.

The new NDQ modules feature an advanced baseplate for enhanced thermal management and improved heatsink integration. Standard sizes facilitate straightforward power scaling, while the compact design protects downstream circuits.