The design showcases how wide-bandgap units, multi-level PFC and high-frequency LLC conversion can ship report effectivity and compactness for next-generation AI servers and data-centre racks.
The semiconductor firm Infineon Applied sciences AG has unveiled a brand new 12 kW high-density power-supply-unit (PSU) reference design aimed squarely at AI-data-centre and high-performance server environments. The design is constructed to satisfy the surging power-and-density calls for of contemporary computing racks by combining best-in-class semiconductor applied sciences with superior conversion topologies.
On this structure, the front-end AC-DC stage employs a three-level flying-capacitor, interleaved energy‐factor-correction (PFC) topology. This topology permits very excessive conversion effectivity (above 99 %) whereas additionally decreasing the amount of magnetic elements. Key to this efficiency is the usage of silicon-carbide (SiC) MOSFETsInfineon’s CoolSiC units which ship superior switching behaviour and thermal efficiency in contrast with standard silicon. On the DC-DC aspect, the design makes use of an remoted full-bridge LLC resonant converter leveraging planar high-frequency transformers and gallium-nitride (GaN) switches (Infineon’s CoolGaN portfolio). This stage achieves peak effectivity above 98.5 % whereas supporting very excessive switching frequency and compact form-factor. These two main conversion blocks mix to provide an exemplary energy density of as much as ~113 W/in³.
Past the uncooked topologies, the reference design incorporates a bidirectional energy-buffer stage built-in into the PSU topology. This buffer serves a number of capabilities: it meets the hold-up-time necessities typical of server racks with out relying solely on cumbersome high-voltage bulk capacitance, and it introduces grid-shaping functionality limiting the magnitude and rate-of-change of present drawn from the mains throughout transient occasions, thereby enhancing system reliability and decreasing enter stress.
From a methods perspective, the structure helps large-scale data-centre energy deployment by providing a compact, scalable type issue and excessive density. The utilisation of wide-bandgap applied sciences (SiC + GaN) alongside optimized silicon units permits the design to ship each effectivity and excessive energy density key metrics for racks pushing towards multi-hundred-kilowatt masses. The roadmap for Infineon’s AI-PSU options spans from 3 kW via 8 kW and now to this 12 kW design, illustrating the evolution of topology, gadget integration and packaging to deal with ever-higher energy calls for.For R&D engineers and {hardware} designers within the power-electronics area, this reference design serves as a blueprint: tips on how to combine multi-level PFC, high-frequency resonant DC-DC, and wide-bandgap semiconductors whereas balancing hold-up, energy density, thermal administration and grid-interaction. Given the speedy development of AI workloads and the related enhance in rack-level energy budgets, designs like this assist to cut back cooling overheads, board real-estate, and complete value of possession over the lifetime of a server infrastructure.
The reference design units a brand new benchmark for AI-centric energy provides by delivering industry-leading effectivity, excessive energy density, and good energy-buffering in a type issue prepared for next-generation data-centre racks.Infineon Applied sciences AG has examined this reference design. It comes with a invoice of supplies (BOM), schematics, meeting drawing, printed circuit board (PCB) format, and extra. The corporate’s web site has extra information in regards to the reference design. To learn extra about this reference design, click on right here.
