R&D engineers worldwide face various issues as their local industries align with the global trend toward BLDC electric motors, transitioning away from traditional AC designs. To help designers meet these challenges, Fairchild Semiconductor’s (NYSE: FCS) China-based Global Power ResourceSM Center (GPRC) has developed a reference design for Brushless DC (BLDC) motor controller applications using SPM® smart power modules, and incorporating Power Factor Correction (PFC), to enable designers to simplify design, reduce Bill of Material (BOM) costs and develop rapid prototypes.
Reference design RD-401 supports inclusion of the FCM8531 3-phase PMSM/BLDC controller, the FSB50550A smart power module, the FAN6961 Boundary Mode PFC Controller, and the FSL306LRN Green Mode Fairchild Buck Switch in design of PMSM motor drive solution up to 200W.
Key features of the solution include:
- Total solution for PMSM motor drive
- High PF Low THD
- Wide Vin range: 90-265VAC
- PFC On/Off selectable
- Each functional block can be evaluated independently
- Demo program pre-programmed
- Rich protection on each circuit block
Reference design RD-401 can be found on the Fairchild website at: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/support/referencedesign/docs/RD-401.pdf
RD-401 successfully addresses these challenges designers face when transitioning to BLDC designs by optimizing the PCB layout, the current sampling circuits, and the current sampling algorithm. The use of the FCM8531 controller in this solution allows a variety of reference designs, together with an integrated development environment – the Motor Control Development System (MCDS) – which incorporates three drive modes. Using these tools, developers and design engineers can quickly implement a motor drive design and promptly assess the results.
Additionally, the new reference design incorporates a Power Factor Correction (PFC) block, with the aim of improving power transmission efficiency. In addition the PFC module acts as the voltage pre-regulator. It is able to convert a broad input voltage range of 90-264VAC to 400VDC and below. This allows the power device and motor to have a small current rating, while outputting at a higher power.
“This new reference design is fully-functional and includes all of the circuitry required for running a motor,” noted Jian Wang, China Regional Sales Director and Director of Motion Control, Asia Pacific, Fairchild Semiconductor. “Customers only need to connect three wires to the motor. Furthermore, the PFC can be disabled by simply disconnecting the jumper, allowing customers to easily assess whether PFC benefits performance. A debugging and development interface allows for further adjustment and optimization. This high price-performance, energy-saving design helps ensure an optimal time-to-market for our customers.”
Fairchild’s power components and support for motor control design in home appliances and industrial applications address consumer and regulatory-led demand for more energy-efficient, better performing appliances and electronic devices.
Fairchild Semiconductor Global Power ResourceSM Centers are a valuable resource for system design engineers, enabling them to quickly differentiate their designs and shorten time-to-market. The centers were established to deliver innovative, efficient power management and mobile solutions targeting a wide range of applications both locally and around the world. This solution was developed at the GPRC located in China. The company has other centers in Greater China, in Shenzhen and Taipei, and in the United States, Germany, South Korea and Brazil.
For information on the devices in this reference design, please visit:
FCM8531: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/FC/FCM8531.html
FSB50550A: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/FS/FSB50550A.html
FAN6961: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/FA/FAN6961.html
FSL306LRN: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/FS/FSL306LRN.html
Contact Information:
To contact Fairchild Semiconductor about this product, please go to: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/cf/sales_contacts/.
For information on other products, design tools and sales contacts, please visit: http://www.fairchildsemi.com.
