In telecom and Rechenzentrum applications, everyone is trying to fit more performance and functionality into smaller spaces, and power supplies have to keep up with this trend. For example, a typical 4G base station remote radio unit (RRU) might require 300 W input power, while a 5G equivalent would need somewhere between 1,100 W and 1,500 W.
Flex Power Modules has always pushed to develop the highest power density components available, and with the BMR491, it’s reached that goal for digital DC/DC isolated converters. Let’s look at how that’s been achieved, and what it means for power system designers.
In this blog, we focus on the industry-standard quarter brick format for power modules, which measures 57.9 x 36.8 x 14 mm (2.28 x 1.45 x 0.55 in.). This is commonly used in both telecom applications, which typically run on a 48 V supply voltage, and data centers, which use a supply voltage between 40 V and 60 V.
Looking back, Flex Power Modules’ first-generation quarter brick isolated DC/DC converter is the BMR453, aimed at the telecom market. This delivers up to 300 W, with a typical efficiency of up to 96.1%. It also supports paralleling through droop load sharing, enabling multiple converters to be used together to achieve higher power.
As the technology improved, the second-generation BMR456 was able to increase its maximum power output to 468 W, in the same quarter brick format. The trend continued, with the 3rd generation version, the BMR458, achieving a power output of up to 650 W. With the 4th generation BMR480, this figure jumped to 1300 W, marking a substantial increase in power density. All of these converters, as well as the later products in this line, continue to support paralleling.
