The VI Chip PRM regulator is a very efficient non-isolated regulator capable of both boosting and bucking a wide range iput voltage and provides a regulated, adjustable output voltage or "Factorized Bus".

1. VI Chip PRM® Pre-Regulated Module
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2. VI Chip Regulator Module (PRM)
› Non-isolated ‘Buck-Boost’ topology
› Fixed, high frequency (~1.3 MHz)
› Efficiency up to 97%
› Wide input range to regulated output
– Commercial:
› Input voltage:
18 – 36 V, 18 – 60 V, 38 – 55 V, 36 – 75 V
› Output voltage: 26 – 55 V, 5 – 55 V
› Output power:
120 W, 170 W, 200 W, 240 W, 320 W, 400 W
– MIL-COTS:
› Input voltage: 16 – 50 V
› Output voltage: 26 – 50 V
Full-chip: 1.28” x 0.87” x 0.265” › Output power: 120 W
Half-chip: 0.65” x 0.87” x 0.625”
› Usage
– Upstream regulator for a downstream VTMs
– Stand-alone, non-isolated regulator
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3. Value Proposition: Power Density
› High power density enables:
– More functions (Gbps, ports, flops, capacity) in the same space
– A more powerful system without a larger power supply
– A more powerful system without a heavier power supply
› VI Chip power density enables:
– Systems that would be impossible with conventional approaches
– Systems that would be too large, too heavy or not cost effective
with a conventional approach
› VI Chips decrease power footprint by 40% today
› Power density increase of 25% every 2.5 years
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4. Value Proposition: Efficiency
› High efficiency enables:
– Smaller, cooler, quieter systems
– Energy cost savings for end user
– High performance systems with minimal total cost of ownership
› VI Chip architectures reduce hidden power losses
– A “whole system approach”, not just a focus on one conversion stage
› VI Chip technology continues to raise the efficiency standard
– IBC has half the power loss compared to industry IBC average.
– Alternative solutions are at the technological limit with
respect to efficiency improvements
– New Vicor products cut losses by 20% every 2.5 years
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5. Value Proposition: Flexibility
› Flexibility enables:
– Re-use of power components
in multiple products
– Fewer SKUs, higher volume,
lower cost
– Fast time to market
– Reduced development effort
› VI Chip technology reduces the need
for custom power systems
– Power component paradigm
› Expanding portfolio of products
increases flexibility over time
– More options, more configurability,
less complexity, shorter design time
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6. Factorized Power Architecture
› Definition: Factorized Power is…
– The separation of Regulation, Isolation, and voltage Transformation functions
typically contained together within a “brick” DC-DC converter
› Components:
– Small, highly efficient, flexible, building blocks called “VI Chips”
› PRM – Pre Regulation Module
› VTM – Voltage Regulation Module
› BCM – Bus Converter Module
› Advantages:
– Reduces the physical area and volume space of the power converters
– Reduces power dissipation at the Point of Load
– Reduces distribution losses
– Eliminate unnecessary converter functions to improve system efficiency
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7. 48 V Factorized Bus Architecture (FPA)
› Intermediate Bus Architecture (IBA)
– e.g., 48 – 12 V bus converters, then 12 V – 1.x V buck regulators
– Trade-off between I2R distribution loss and buck duty cycle
– Load <1 V means <10% duty cycle
– FET peak voltage much higher (>12 V) than load voltage (1 V)
› Factorized Power Architecture (FPA)
– Pre-regulators (PRM), then Current Multipliers (VTM)
– Efficient power distribution (48 V)
– Load <1 V with ~ 100% VTM duty cycle
– FETs are low voltage (e.g., 3 V) so low RDS(ON)
and high performance Full-chip
› Benefits of current multiplication at the load Up to 130 A
1.28 x 0.87 x 0.265 in (1.1 in2), 0.5 oz
– Fast transient response 3.25 x 2.2 x 0.67 cm (7.2 cm2), 15 g
– No bulk capacitors Half-chip
Up to 200 W
– High density 0.64 x 0.87 x 0.265 in (0.55 in2), 0.25 oz
1.63 x 2.2 x 0.67 cm (7.2 cm2), 8 g
– High efficiency
– High PoL functionality
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8. Wide (11:1) Trim Range
› Extreme trim range with simple, small system
– Use K = ¼ for 1.25 – 13.75 V range
– Use K = 1/40 for 0.125 – 1.375 V
To set… To get…
Adjust 55 V 13.75 V
55 V R1
48 V PRM VTM 12 V
nom nom
38 V
PRM48BF048T200 VTM48EH120T010
Regulator 26 V 12V, K=1/4 VTM 11:1 trim
range
6.5 V
5V
1.25 V
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9. Local Loop Regulation: No sense lines
K-factor
Unregulated Regulated
Wide Range Factorized Vf • K- IOUT•ROUT
Input Bus
Source Load 3 – 5%
Vf
Local
Loop
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10. Adaptive Loop Regulation: No sense lines and POL Regulation
K-factor
Unregulated Regulated
Wide Range Factorized
Input Bus
Source Load 1 – 2%
Vf
Adaptive
Loop
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