New Power Conversion Platform Improves Safety, Reliability and Efficiency in Renewable Energy Applications

Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) announced its fully integrated power conversion platform for next-generation solar power, energy storage, and electric vehicle infrastructure applications. The platform, which includes processing, gate driving, and sensing components, was designed to enable new faster-switching architectures and accommodate increasing safety regulations. By integrating ADI’s established iCoupler digital isolation technology with the new, breakthrough mixed-signal processor design (ADSP-CM41x), the platform simplifies system design for power inverter manufacturers while also improving system safety and reliability, and helping drive down the cost of renewable energy.

• Learn about ADI’s isolation products: https://www.analog.com/en/products/interface-isolation/isolation.html
• Learn about ADI’s portfolio of mixed-signal control processors: https://www.analog.com/en/products/processors-dsp/cm4xx-mixed-signal-control-processors.html
• Learn about ADI’s other renewable energy solutions: https://www.analog.com/en/applications/markets/energy/renewable-energy-generation.html
• Connect with engineers and ADI product experts on EngineerZone®, an online technical support community: https://ez.analog.com/community/analog-microcontrollers

Power systems must be carefully designed to protect the end user from electric shock and the system from physical destruction by isolating current measurement from the power-handling circuitry and transient signals. Traditionally this protection has come at a price as the use of multiple redundant isolated components drives up both cost and system complexity. Analog Devices recently announced the ADSP-CM41x processor series, which features a revolutionary new design that integrates dual-core safety redundancy into a single chip. The ADSP-CM41x is an integral part of the power conversion platform, and is now the first and only processor of its kind to be awarded a Certificate of Safety Attestation, VDE-AR-N4105, from TUV-SUD. This provides designers with added confidence in their own certification process and a pathway to faster, more cost-efficient system development.

Also included in the platform are the AD740x sigma-delta-based A/D converter, which replaces larger, more expensive sensor modules to reduce system cost and improve isolated current measurement, and the ADuM413x series of isolated gate drivers, featuring iCoupler® digital isolation technology.

To assist developers in evaluating and designing with the platform, Analog Devices also announced the release of a new evaluation kit, the ADZS-CM419F-EZLITE. The kit is available now for $410.00.