High-Efficiency, Radiation-Hardened, Power Converter System for Distributed Space Applications

VPT Inc. proposes to develop an innovative radiation-hardened, high-efficiency, thick-film hybrid DC-DC power converter that addresses demanding MDA space application needs. The targeted technology will provide efficiencies of greater than 90% for multiple low output voltages. The proposed system includes a single output isolated DC-DC converter with synchronous rectification to convert a standard MDA 28V bus directly down to 5.0V as well as multiple non-isolated point of load converters to obtain output voltages from 3.3V to as low as 0.8V. This system will be based on VPT standard product, Mil-PRF-38534 Class K hybrid DC-DC converters and recent VPT radiation analysis and testing including Total Ionizing Dose (TID), Enhanced Low Dose Rate Sensitivity (ELDRS), Radiation Lot Acceptance Testing (RLAT), Flash Xray (FXR), Single Event Upset (SEU). In the SBIR Phase I VPT will perform the following: (a) develop a multiple output converter breadboard using the new VPT hybrid converters and demonstrate electrical performance including high efficiency, (b) select and characterize new radiation-hardened components (c) perform circuit design changes and analysis to achieve 500kRads of total dose radiation performance and 60MeV of single event upset capability, (d) evaluate planar winding magnetics for high efficiency and wide temperature range of operation.