Self powered ICs require no external bias
1 min read
Power Integrations has announced a range of two terminal, automatic X capacitor discharge ICs which it says eliminate power losses while allowing power supplies to comply with safety standards.
The CAPZero is designed to act as a smart high-voltage switch when placed in series with discharge resistors. When AC voltage is applied, it blocks current flow in the X capacitor safety discharge resistors, reducing the power wasted in these components to zero at 230VAC.
When the AC voltage is disconnected, it automatically discharges the X capacitor by closing the circuit through the bleed resistors and directing the energy away from the exposed AC plug.
Power Integrations' product marketing manager, David New, said: "New energy efficiency requirements have highlighted X capacitor discharge resistors as a significant source of power loss, especially in applications over 50W. CAPZero is a simple, cost effective solution that eliminates this loss and requires virtually no change to system or pcb layout. It is easy to design in and requires minimal effort to retrofit into existing designs, easily bringing them into compliance with new standards."
CAPZero is suitable for AC/DC converters with X capacitors that require low standby power, and is offered with 825 or 1000V mosfets to support a variety of power supply design needs. It is suitable for applications such as PCs, servers/workstations, monitors and printers.
