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APPLICATION NOTE
by R. LIOU
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITBREAKER
INTRODUCTION
Over current and short circuit protection is a con-
stant concern for today’s engineers. More and
more applicationsin different segments(Telecom,
Automotive,Industrial,Computer...)requirealways
improved reliability after delivery : maintenance
costs are an ever more worrying source of
expensesand customers’ dissatisfaction.
Alternatives for short circuit or over currentprotec-
tionsarethefusesand thePTC(Positive Tempera-
ture Coefficient)resistors.The first are a cheapbut
destructivesolution ; the secondare tied to a time
constant due to selfheating which is often incom-
patible with the host equipment’srequirements.
In both cases, a coil can be added foran efficient
limitation of current surges, to the detriment of
weight and volume.
None of these solutions is fully satisfactory for a
reliable, immediate and non destructible short cir-
cuit and over current protection.
1. ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BREAKER
The electroniccircuitbreaker
TD230
isthe conven-
ient solution for any industrial who wants at the
same time :
immediate, efficientand resettableprotection
for his equipment
versatility regardingdifferent applications
easy and quickdesign-in
low componentcount
low cost
The electronic circuit breaker
TD230
is to be used
with a minimal amount of external and low cost
componentsto drive one or two N-channel MOS-
FETs(in respectivelysingleor dualsupply applica-
tions) used as power switches between the DC
power supplies and the equipmentsto be
protected.
The
TD230
immediately reacts (3
μ
s max. without
load) whenever an over current is detected by
switching off the correspondingMOSFET. Several
automatic restart attempts are made unless the
fault persistsover an externally adjustableamount
of time after which the power MOSFET is defini-
tively switched off, waiting for a reset.
If the fault is detected on the positive supply, the
definitive shutdown will also disconnect the nega-
tive power supply and set a warning low level on
the Shutdown pin. If the fault is detected on the
negative supply, the definitive shutdown will dis-
connectonlythenegativepower supply,and let the
positive part of the circuit undisturbed.
Thewhole systemcan be reset in three ways :
byswitching off the power supplies
byunpluggingand re-pluggingthe card(live
insertion)
bysetting the INHIBIT pin active during a
short time (allowing remote reset)
2. HOWTO USE THE TD230
The typical configurationof the
TD230
- Electronic
Circuit Breaker- inadual supplytopologyis shown
in
figure1
.
In this configuration, both NMOS
1/2
are used as
power switches which connect the equipments to
the powersupplies,thusensuringlow voltagedrop
through the ON-resistances (Rdson) of NMOS
1/2
.
2.1. Current Limitation
When an over current condition (I
OC
) is detected
through the low ohmic shunt resistors R
S 1/2
as
given under equation (i) :
V
RS 1/2
= I
OC
x R
S
> 63mV typ. (i)
the gate of the corresponding MOSFET
1/2
is dis-
charged immediately, thus disconnecting the
board/equipmentfrom the power supply.
Note that the overcurrent conditionis givenby the
constant product I
OC
x R
S
= 63mV, which means
that the I
OC
limit is directly given by the choice of
the shuntresistors R
S1/2
values.
The
TD230
automatically makes restart attempts
by slowly recharging the gate of the MOSFET
1/2
with a15
μ
Atyp. current source ensuringthus slow
ramp with the typical time constant before recon-
ductionshown in equation (ii) :
t
ON
= C
ISS
x V
TH
/15
μ
A(ii)
TD230
6/15