Self-Calibrating, Lightweight Radiation Hardened Isolated DC-DC Converter

In response to NASA SBIR Focus Area TA6, subtopic H4.01 Exploration Portable Life Support System (xPLSS),nbsp;Alphacorenbsp;Inc. have developed a low-profile, lightweight, high efficiency, mixed-signal (analog/digital) controlled Isolated DC/DC converter that addresses one of the listed critical technology gaps for NASArsquo;s deep space and surface missions that involve Exploration EMU (xEMU).nbsp; For spacesuit life support systems, there are a number of smallnbsp;pointnbsp;of load applications such as smart instruments, controllers that require small, low power output, isolated DC/DC converters with efficiencies 80%nbsp;after derating.nbsp;As part of Phase 1 work,nbsp;Alphacorenbsp;demonstrated the feasibility of the innovative technical approach which includes a self-calibrating topology to achieve maximum power transfer for a given lightweight isolation transformer and reach bothnbsp;high powernbsp;conversion efficiency and lightweight profile for the entire converter module.nbsp;Furthermore,nbsp;Alphacorenbsp;developed a full set of strategies utilizing radiation hardness by design (RHBD) techniques for the whole design flows to achieve high radiation hardness of the converternbsp;to increase reliability of space applications.nbsp;Fully integrated isolated DC-DC converters are essential for power monitoring, biomedical, and motor control applications where ground isolation is required. Several applications require traditional low-voltage CMOS data acquisition circuits to interface with very high common mode voltages. These include current sensors that operate at the high side of a voltage source, solar converters/inverters, DC motor controllers, FET drivers that switch high voltages and?eMeter?data products for smart grid management.?Alphacorersquo;snbsp;mixed-signal isolated DCDC converter controller enables use of a wide range of small transformers and capacitors through high frequency operation.nbsp;nbsp;