March 13, 2009

For high-end IT and telecom applications, the conventional approach to power conversion involves an AC/DC silver box followed by 12V-to-1.x V synchronous buck converter. This approach has inherent limitations in terms of system efficiency, due to a combination of distribution bus losses and fundamental restrictions in topology performance as processor voltages reach sub-volt levels. Recent advances in power train technology can better meet such power conversion demands by, for example, eliminating step-down stages and enabling direct 48V to-load conversion. Higher (48V or 50/380V) bus voltages reduce distribution losses, but usually mean the addition of an extra stage or stages to get down to the processor voltages, which may lower conversion efficiencies. The approach of Factorized Power Architecture (FPA) improve high power system efficiency. Full story on p 29.