TI Introduces Industry's First GaN IPM Solution for High-Voltage Motors

By Tiera Oliver

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

June 11, 2024

News

TI Introduces Industry's First GaN IPM Solution for High-Voltage Motors

DALLAS -- Texas Instruments (TI) introduced the industry's first 650V three-phase GaN IPM for 250W motor drive applications. The new GaN IPM addresses the design and performance compromises in major home appliances and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

The DRV7308 is designed to help engineers meet these standards, leveraging GaN technology to deliver more than 99% efficiency and improve thermal performance, with 50% reduced power losses compared to existing solutions.

According to the company, the DRV7308 achieves industry-low dead time and low propagation delay, both less than 200ns, enabling higher pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching frequencies that reduce audible noise and system vibration. These advantages plus the higher power efficiency and integrated features of the DRV7308 also reduce motor heating, which can improve reliability and extend the life of the system.

The DRV7308 is also designed to help engineers develop smaller motor drive systems. Enabled by GaN technology, the new IPM delivers high power density in a 12mm-by-12mm package, making it the industry's smallest IPM for 150W to 250W motor-drive applications. Because of its high efficiency, the DRV7308 eliminates the need for an external heatsink, resulting in motor drive inverter printed circuit board (PCB) size reduction of up to 55% compared to competing IPM solutions. The integration of a current sense amplifier, protection features, and inverter stage further reduces solution size and cost.

Visitors to PCIM can see new products and solutions from TI, in addition to the DRV7308 GaN IPM, in Hall 7, Booth 652 at the Power Electronics, Intelligent Motion, Renewable Energy and Energy Management (PCIM) Conference, held June 11-13 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Pre-production quantities of the DRV7308 three-phase, 650V integrated GaN IPM are available for purchase now on TI.com.

  • Pricing starts at US$5.50 in 1,000-unit quantities.
  • Available in a 12mm-by-12mm, 60-pin quad flat no-lead (QFN) package.
  • The DRV7308EVM evaluation module is also available at US$250.
  • Multiple payment, currency, and shipping options are available.

For more information, visit: ti.com/DRV7308.

Tiera Oliver, Associate Editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content edits, product news, and constructing stories. She also assists with newsletter updates as well as contributing and editing content for ECD podcasts and the ECD YouTube channel. Before working at ECD, Tiera graduated from Northern Arizona University where she received her B.S. in journalism and political science and worked as a news reporter for the university’s student led newspaper, The Lumberjack.

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