ZD-00376 Rev. 1.1.1, 19-Feb-10
Page 8 of 20
www.power-one.com
QM48T/S14120 DC-DC Converter Data Sheet
36-75 VDC Input; 12 VDC @ 14 A Output
Characterization
General Information
The converter has been characterized for many
operational aspects, to include thermal derating
(maximum load current as a function of ambient
temperature and airflow) for vertical and horizontal
mountings,
efficiency,
startup
and
shutdown
parameters, output ripple and noise, transient
response to load step-change, overload, and short
circuit.
The following pages contain specific plots or
waveforms associated with the converter. Additional
comments for specific data are provided below.
Test Conditions
All data presented were taken with the converter
soldered to a test board, specifically a 0.060” thick
printed wiring board (PWB) with four layers. The top
and bottom layers were not metalized. The two inner
layers, comprised of two-ounce copper, were used to
provide traces for connectivity to the converter.
The lack of metalization on the outer layers as well
as the limited thermal connection ensured that heat
transfer from the converter to the PWB was
minimized. This provides a worst-case but consistent
scenario for thermal derating purposes.
All measurements requiring airflow were made in the
vertical and horizontal wind tunnel using Infrared (IR)
thermography and thermocouples for thermometry.
Ensuring components on the converter do not
exceed their ratings is important to maintaining high
reliability. If one anticipates operating the converter
at or close to the maximum loads specified in the
derating curves, it is prudent to check actual
operating
temperatures
in
the
application.
Thermographic
imaging
is
preferable;
if
this
capability is not available, then thermocouples may
be used. The use of AWG #40 gauge thermocouples
is recommended to ensure measurement accuracy.
Careful routing of the thermocouple leads will further
minimize measurement error. Refer to Fig. H for the
optimum measuring thermocouple locations.
Fig. H: Locations of the thermocouple for thermal testing.
Thermal Derating
Load current vs. ambient temperature and airflow
rates are given in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 for vertical and
horizontal converter mountings for through-hole
version. Ambient temperature was varied between
25 °C and 85 °C, with airflow rates from 30 to
500 LFM (0.15 to 2.5 m/s).
For each set of conditions, the maximum load current
was defined as the lowest of:
(i) The output current at which any FET junction
temperature does not exceed a maximum specified
temperature of 120 °C
as
indicated
by
the
thermographic image, or
(ii) The nominal rating of the converter (14 A).
During normal operation, derating curves with
maximum FET temperature less or equal to 120 °C
should not be exceeded. Temperature on the PCB at
the thermocouple location shown in Fig. H should not
exceed 118 °C in order to operate inside the derating
curves.
Efficiency
Fig. 3 shows the efficiency vs. load current plot for
ambient temperature of 25 C, airflow rate of 300 LFM
(1.5 m/s) with vertical mounting and input voltages of
36 V, 48 V and 72 V. Also, a plot of efficiency vs. load
current, as a function of ambient temperature with
Vin = 48 V, airflow rate of 200 LFM (1 m/s) with
vertical mounting is shown in Fig. 4.
Startup
Output voltage waveforms, during the turn-on
transient using the ON/OFF pin for full rated load
currents (resistive load) are shown without and with
external load capacitance in Figs. 7-8, respectively.
Ripple and Noise
The output voltage ripple waveform, measured at full
rated load current with a 10 F tantalum and 1 F
ceramic capacitor across the output. Note that all
output voltage waveforms are measured across a 1
F ceramic capacitor.
The input reflected ripple current waveforms are
obtained using the test setup shown in Fig I. The
corresponding waveforms are shown in plot section.
Vout
Vsource
i
S
i
C
1
F
ceramic
capacitor
10
H
source
inductance
DC/DC
Converter
33
F
ESR <1
electrolytic
capacitor
QmaX Series
QmaXTM
Fig. I: Test Setup for measuring input reflected-ripple
currents,
ic and is.