RAIL-Insight
Vicor Europe's Quarterly Newsletter
Issue 11
Welcome
Welcome to Vicor’s new RAIL-Insight newsletter written specifically for the rail industry. This issue reviews the wide choice of 110Vin DC-DC converters available from Vicor and presents expert technical advice on meeting RIA12 surge specs.
There are also examples of new and innovative applications for Vicor modules. We hope you enjoy reading RAIL-Insight and that you will email the editor with your comments and suggestions on ( ).
Andy Gales
VP, International Sales
If you were forwarded this email and would like to receive your own quarterly copy of RAIL-Insight, please register.
Vicor / Product News
110V input DC-DC converters: Best choice for rail applications
Vicor offers the industry’s widest choice of 110 Vin DC-DC converters. The VI-200T/J00T series DC-DC converters feature an input range of 66 V to 160 V. Output options are from 1 V to 95 V with a maximum power rating of up to 200 W and 3000 Vrms isolation.
The new 110 V Maxi, Mini & Micro series provide an input range of 66V to 154 V and offer five environmental grades with eight standard output voltages of 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V, 15 V, 24 V, 28 V, 36 V and 48 V, in combination with six different pin options and three base-plate styles. Output power ranges from 50 W up to 400 W with output voltages from 330 mV to 52.8 V. The Maxi, Mini and Micro series modules meet the EN50155 requirement for vibration and shock.
These
Vicor DC-DC converter modules use advanced power processing, control and
packaging technologies to provide the performance, flexibility, reliability
and cost effectiveness of a mature power component. High-frequency ZCS/ZVS
switching topology provides high power density with low noise and high efficiency.
All electronic circuitry within the modules is fully encapsulated for protection
against shock and vibration, providing rugged and reliable performance for
rail and other transport applications.
Performance specifications include a wide input voltage range in accordance with EN50155, as well as efficiencies up to 90 % for the higher output voltages. Vicor's patented PowerBench™ intelligent design system allows customers to configure any input, output and mechanical combination, and to verify them in real time.
| Module size | Input Voltage Range | Output Voltage | Output Power | ||
| < 5 V | 5 V | ≥ 10 V | |||
| VI-200T | 66 – 160 V | 1 – 95 V | 30 A | 150 W | 150 W |
| VI-J00T | 66 – 160 V | 1 – 95 V | 20 A | 75 W | 100 W |
| Module size | Input Voltage | Output Voltage | |||||||
| 3.3 V | 5 V | 12 V | 15 V | 24 V | 28 V | 36 V | 48 V | ||
| Maxi | 66 – 154 V | 200 W | 300 W | 400 W | 400 W | 400 W | 400 W | 400 W | 400 W |
| Mini |
66 – 154 V | 100 W | 150 W | 200 W | 200 W | 200 W | 200 W | 200 W | 200 W |
| Micro | 66 – 154 V | 50 W | 75 W | 100 W | 100 W | 100 W | 100 W | 100 W | 100 W |
Vicor provides modules with other input voltage which also
comply with the EN50155 input specification:
| EN50155 Input specification Vs. Vicor modular solution | ||||||
| Nominal Inputs | Input Ranges | Transients | Vicor DC-DC Converter Input Ranges (series) | |||
| (VN) | 0.07(VN)
– 1.25(VN) |
Low
(0.1s) 0.6(VN) |
High
(1s) 1.4(VN) |
VI-200 |
VI-J00 | Maxi / Mini / Micro |
| 24 V/28 V | 17 – 30 V | 14 V | 34 V | V = 10 – 36 V6 | V = 10 – 36V01 | V24 = 18 – 36 V7 V28 = 10 -36 V (Maxi only) |
| 36 V | 25 – 45 V | 22 V | 61 V | 2 = 21 – 56 V2 | 2 = 21 – 56 V2 | - - - - |
| 48 V | 34 – 60 V | 29 V | 67 V | N = 36 – 76 V3 | N = 36 – 76 V3 | V48 = 36 – 75 V8 |
| 72 V | 50 – 90 V | 43 V | 101 V | 4 = 55 – 100 V4 | 4 = 55 – 100 V4 | Coming Soon |
| 96 V | 67 – 120 V | 58 V | 135 V | V = 66 – 160 V5 | V = 66 – 160 V5 | V110 = 66 – 154 V8 |
| 110 V | 77 – 137 V | 66 V | 154 V | V = 66 – 160 V5 | V = 66 – 160 V5 | V110 = 66 – 154 V8 |
|
|
Technical Tip
Meeting RIA12 high-energy surge specifications
Current-sharing is an essential for higher output power or improved fault tolerance, in most systems that use multiple power supplies or converters. However, conventional current-sharing techniques are not always possible if, for example, there are no booster modules available, or the modules operate from different input voltages. For these, and other applications, droop-sharing is a viable alternative.
Rail equipment must withstand 20ms over-voltage surges which are 3.5 times
greater than the nominal 110 V input voltage to comply with the Railway
Industries Association (RIA) specification, RIA12: ‘General Specification
for Protection of Traction and Rolling Stock Equipment from Transients and
Surges in DC Control Systems’. The equipment must, therefore, withstand
a surge voltage of 385 V for a duration of 20 ms.
The source impedance of the over-voltage pulse is 0.2 ohms which means that
a suppression device would need to dissipate up to 3600 J of energy if it
is parallel-connected to the source and clamp the surge to 160 V. However,
typical transient suppression devices (TVS) are only expected to handle
several joules of energy. The solution is to use an active clamp circuit
using a series-pass power device such as a MOSFET.
In the active clamping circuit, shown in Figure 1, an over-voltage event triggers D2 to conduct so that the gate voltage of Q1 is clamped at around the D2 voltage. The output voltage equals the clamping voltage minus the gate-to-source voltage of Q1, thus protecting the downstream DC-DC converter. During normal operation, D2 and R3 are not triggered. This circuit shows that is possible to have Q1 at its fully-saturated low drop and low dissipation state using an oscillating signal from U1 to drive a charge pump circuit formed by two 1N4148 diodes and a 470 pF capacitor. All Vicor DC-DC converters, including the Maxi, Mini, Micro and VI-200T/J00T series, are compatible with this active clamping circuit. Vicor Applications Engineers can advise on component selection for specific applications. When using Vicor's VI-200/J00 DC-DC converters, and in particular the 110 V input VI-200T and VI-J00T modules, the gate-out signal from the converter can directly replace the signal from U1, further simplifying the circuit.
Vicor's application note ‘Using Modular DC-DC Converters to Meet European Standards for Railway Applications’ includes a complete description of a similar active clamp circuit as well as addressing fast transients and the input specifications defined by the EN50155 Standard.
top »Novel Applications
Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) chooses Vicor
Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway has installed Vicor modules in numerous applications. The VI-200 and VI-J00 modules are being used in braking and lighting systems, whilst the VI-200 module is providing a 30V DC supply for the latest version of their broadcasting system. Vicor modules were chosen for their robust performance and wide range of output combinations and output trimming features.
top »Vicor modules used in new bullet train
The
superior performance and reliability of Vicor modules are being used by
the Korean railway industry in applications as diverse as propulsion control,
battery charging and communication systems. Vicor modules have also been
specified for use in South Korea’s new KTX-II Express Train (pictured).
New on the web / New from Vicor
New brochure: Component Power for Railway Applications
The new ‘Component Power for Railway Applications’ brochure helps to explain why Vicor modules are used in almost every European and Asian railway network. Vicor modules can be used in the braking and lighting systems, drive controllers and door openers in rolling stock, as well as in platform systems such as ticket machines, information displays and security cameras. Vicor’s combination of proven power components, complete power systems and custom designs, with comprehensive support for rail applications, is outlined in this new capability brochure (800kb).
top »
New catalogue features VI BRICK and new WebExpressCodes
The
new Vicor product catalogue includes the latest VI BRICK DC-DC converters
as well as unique WebExpressCodes for fast access to full product information
on www.vicorpower.com.
The catalogue is available now by registering your details on the link below.
Each product in the new Vicor catalogue includes a unique WebExpressCode which provides direct access to information-rich product pages on www.vicoreurope.com. For fast and easy access to full details, such as product description, operating specifications, datasheets, outline drawings, and configuration tools, simply enter the Web ExpressCode in the search box on the www.vicoreurope.com homepage.
Vicor develops new products all the time, and these could provide the solution to your latest power design challenge. To review the latest products, visit www.vicorpower.com and click on the ‘What’s New’ link for an overview, and links to detailed information on all new Vicor products, as they are released.
top »V•I Chip™ application notes
A library of V•I Chip™ application notes helps designers to achieve smaller, higher-performance and more cost-effective power systems using Vicor’s latest VI BRICK™ DC-DC power platform.
The Factorized Power Architecture™, enabled by V•I Chip™ technology in the new VI BRICK™ power platform, maximises power system by providing a high degree of system flexibility as well as superior power density, efficiency, transient response, and reliability.
- AN:001 Configuring the Vicor BCM with low power niPOLs
- AN:002 PRM/VTM parallel operation
- AN:003 Powering multiple VTMs with a single PRM
- AN:005 FPA printed-circuit board layout guidelines
- AN:006 A filter solution for the BCM
- AN:007 Using VTMs as 26 – 55 V input bus converters
- AN:008 V•I Chip Bus Converter Module (BCM) thermal management
- AN:009 V•I Chip soldering recommendations
- AN:016 Using BCM™ bus converters in high-power arrays
- AN:017 RoHS-compliant through-hole V•I Chip soldering recommendations
- AN:022 MIL EMI and transient solutions