Industrial Electronics

World’s first 8.5 kW AI data center power supply powered by GaN and SiC

19 December 2024

Navitas Semiconductor has announced the world’s first 8.5 kW power supply unit (PSU), powered by gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) technologies to achieve 98% efficiency, for next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscale data centers.

The AI-optimized 54 V output PSU complies with Open Compute Project (OCP) and Open Rack v3 (ORv3) specifications and utilizes high-power GaNSafe and Gen-3 Fast SiC metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) configured in three-phase interleaved power factor correction (PFC) and inductance-inductance-capacitance (LLC) topologies, to ensure the highest efficiency and performance, with lowestSource: Navitas SemiconductorSource: Navitas Semiconductor component count. The PSU’s shift to a three-phase topology for both the PFC and LLC (versus two-phase topologies used by competing PSUs) enables the industry’s lowest ripple current and electromagnetic interference. Furthermore, the PSU reduces the number of GaN and SiC devices by 25% compared with the nearest competing system, which reduces the overall cost. The PSU has an input voltage range of 180 V AC to 264 V AC, a standby output voltage of 12 V, and an operating temperature range of -5° C to 45° C. Its hold-up time at 8.5 kW is 10 ms, with 20 ms possible through an extender.

The 3-Phase LLC topology is enabled by high-power GaNSafe, which is specifically created for demanding, high-power applications, such as AI data centers and industrial markets. Navitas’ 4th generation integrates control, drive, sensing and critical protection features that enable unprecedented reliability and robustness. GaNSafe is the world’s safest GaN with short-circuit protection (350 ns max latency), 2 kV electrostatic discharge protection on all pins, elimination of negative gate drive and programmable slew rate control. All these features are controlled with four-pins, allowing the package to be treated like a discrete GaN FET, requiring no VCC pin. Suitable for applications from 1 kW to 22 kW, 650 V GaNSafe in TOLL and TOLT packages are available with a range of RDS(ON)MAX from 25 to 98 mΩ.

The 3-Phase interleaved CCM TP-PFC is powered by Gen-3 Fast SiC MOSFETs with ‘trench-assisted planar’ technology, which has been enabled by over 20 years of SiC innovation leadership and offers world-leading performance over temperature, delivering cool-running, fast-switching and superior robustness to support faster charging electric vehicles and up to three times more powerful AI data centers.

To contact the author of this article, email GlobalSpecEditors@globalspec.com


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