Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) has announced the availability of two new demonstration kits for developing wireless charging solutions. The EPC9127 is a complete wireless power kit including a 10 W, class 2 amplifier and category 3 receiver device. The other one introduces is the EPC9128, consisting of a 16 W, class 3 amplifier and two receiver devices (categories 3 and 4). These systems, coupled with previously announced EPC9120, 33 W class 4 and the EPC9121 multi-mode kit capable of operating to either an AirFuel Class 2 standard with a category 3 device or a Qi (A6)/PMA standard with a compatible receiving device provide a full range of wireless power demonstration kits to allow for complete, wide-spread implementation of wireless charging.
With the introduction of these demonstration kits, EPC covers a wide range of the AirFuel resonant technology standard. The popularity of resonant wireless power transfer is increasing rapidly, with end applications evolving quickly from mere cell phone battery charging, to the powering of large surface areas where handheld tablets, laptops, and computers - and, soon TV sets, lamps, other electrically powered appliances - simultaneously anywhere on the surface.
The purpose of these demonstration kits is to simplify the evaluation process of using eGaN FETs and ICs for highly efficient wireless power transfer. The kits, operating at 6.78 MHz (the lowest ISM band) utilize the high frequency switching capability of EPC gallium nitride transistors to facilitate wireless power systems. The efficiency of these systems is about 87% from input to the amplifier to the output of the receiver (end-to-end), and with future improvements in architecture and GaN IC technology this number can reach into the 95% range.
Demonstration Kits
The EPC9127 wireless power system consists of three boards:
- A Source Board (Transmitter or Power Amplifier) EPC9510
- A Class 2 AirFuel Alliance compliant Source Coil (Transmit Coil)
- A Category 3 AirFuel Alliance compliant Receiving Device EPC9513
The EPC9128 wireless power system consists of four boards:
- A Source Board (Transmitter or Power Amplifier) EPC9509
- A Class 3 AirFuel Alliance compliant Source Coil (Transmit Coil)
- A Category 3 AirFuel Alliance compliant Receiving Device EPC9513
- A Category 4 AirFuel Alliance compliant Receiving Device EPC9515
The source (amplifier) boards included in these kits are highly efficient Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS), Class-D amplifiers configured in an optional half-bridge topology (for single-ended configuration) or default full-bridge topology (for differential configuration), and includes the gate driver(s), oscillator, and feedback controller for the pre-regulator. This allows for compliance testing operating to the AirFuel standard over a wide load range. These amplifier boards are available separately as EPC9509 and EPC9510 for evaluation in existing customer systems.
The receiving device boards include the Category 3 EPC9513 (5 V, 5 W) and Category 4 EPC9515 (5 V, 10 W) receiving device boards included in the wireless power demonstration kits are also available separately for customers that have their own source boards or for those who want to design wireless power systems powering multiple devices simultaneously. These boards allow customers to bring various wirelessly powered consumer electronic products quickly to market.
With the wide range of efficient receivers that can be used to power anything from lamps to laptops to tablets, while remaining compatible with cell phone charging, the system designer now has all the tools needed to create an entire wireless power, large area, efficient system.
EPC9127 and EPC9128 wireless power transfer demonstration systems are priced at $907.20 each.
The EPC9513 and EPC9115 device receive boards can also be purchased separately and are priced at $168.75 each. All EPC products are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key, click here.
