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Can InnoSW-4 and Clampzero be used for 36VDC input?

Posted by: NAOHI on

Hi.

My customer wants to use InnoSW-4 and Clampzero for DC input votlage.

Is it possible to use InnoSW-4 for DC input voltage?

What are the possible problems? 

Their request is as below

 Vin = 36 to 57VDC

Vout = 12V, 6A 

 

Comments

Submitted by PI-Wrench on 04/08/2024

Thanks for considering a PI product for your design . However, there are several problems with your potential application.  At 36 VDC input, there may be insufficient tap current from the output  power device to allow it to start properly, if at all. Some few Inno-4 devices might start up at this voltage, but we would never guarantee that 100% of devices would start at 36V. On Page 13 of the InnoSwitch-4 data sheet the minimum DC input voltage is listed at 90VDC. At 90 VDC, there is sufficient tap current from the power device tap to allow proper startup.

 It is unclear what advantages would accrue from operating an Innoswitch-4 in ZVS mode at 36 VDC, where the switching losses would be insignificant. 

As a speculative exercise, I ran a PIXLS spreadsheet for a 12V, 72W flyback supply using InnoSwitch-4. With the suggested input voltage parameters, I came up with a design running greatly in excess of 90% duty cycle, requiring an enormous reflected voltage on the primary side to be able to properly reset the transformer during the off-time of the primary switch. Given the high reflected voltage (indicating a very high transformer step-down ratio), the secondary output currents were predictably very high. I hate to say it, but this application looks to be a no-go using Inno-4.