Case study: Powering 400V accessory loads
As the 800V traction battery becomes more common among EVs, loads that were powered directly from a 400V battery are now incompatible. The investment in cost and time frames to engineer 800V versions is prohibitive. Yet converting voltage for these high power loads – compressors, pumps for cooling and HVAC, etc. – needs to be as efficient and lightweight as possible to continue to maximize the driving range of EVs. The key challenges were:
High density power conversion using a single Vicor power module provides the solution with the smallest volume, lightest weight, and highest efficiency. Power modules are already tested, often only require passive cooling, and are easy to package virtually anywhere in the power system compartment. With this modular approach, it’s easy to adapt the solution to meet specifications for use in different vehicle platform.
A single power module provides up to 37kW
A very compact, lightweight solution
High power output can support up to 17kW with passive cooling
A single, compact NBM9280 the size of a KitKat® candy bar can power a 37kW, 400V rail to power accessories from the 800V battery. With a peak efficiency of 99.0%, the NBM is a highdensity power converter that weighs only 200g. It can be packaged for flexible placement within tight spaces in the vehicle engine compartment where a bulky, heavy discrete power supply simply would not fit.
Non-isolated fixed-ratio
Input: 400 – 920V
Output: 200 – 460V
Current: Up to 75A
Power: 37kW
Peak efficiency: 99.0%
92.2 x 80.0 x 7.5mm
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