Microchip On-Board Charger Resources Dedicated for E-Mobility

The demand for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) is rising due to the need for sustainable ways to cut emissions in the push towards decarbonization. The on-board charger(OBC), which transforms AC power into DC power to replenish the vehicle’s high-voltage battery, is a vital application for EVs.

A range of its automotive-qualified digital, analog, connectivity, and power devices, such as the mSiCTM MOSFETs in an industry-standard D2PAK-7L XL package, the MCP14C1 isolated SiC gate driver, and the dsPIC33C Digital Signal Controller (DSC), are used in Microchip Technology’s On-Board Charger (OBC) solution.

This OBC solution is designed to improve the efficiency and reliability of an OBC system by utilizing the advanced control functions of the dsPIC33 DSC, the high-voltage reinforced isolation with robust noise immunity of the MCP14C1 gate driver, and the reduced switching losses and enhanced thermal management capabilities of the mSiC MOSFETs.

Microchip offers the essential technologies that enable the other OBC functions, including as communication interfaces, security, sensors, memory, and timing, to further streamline the supply chain for clients.

Microchip provides a versatile programmable solution with ready-to-use software modules for communication, power factor correction (PFC), DC-DC conversion, and diagnostic algorithms to speed up system development and testing. The dsPIC33 DSC’s software modules allow flexibility for modification and adaption to meet unique OEM needs while optimizing performance, efficiency, and reliability.

“Microchip established an E-Mobility megatrend team with dedicated resources to support this growing market, so in addition to providing the control, gate drive and power stage for an OBC, we can also provide customers with connectivity, timing, sensors, memory and security solutions,” said Joe Thomsen, corporate vice president of Microchip’s digital signal controller business unit. “As a leading supplier to OEMs and Tier-1s, Microchip offers comprehensive solutions to streamline the development process, including automotive-qualified products, reference designs, software and global technical support.”

Key Components of This On-Board Charger (OBC) solution:

• With its high-performance DSP core, high-resolution Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) modules, and high-speed Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), the AEC-Q100 approved dsPIC33C DSC is ideal for power conversion applications. It is compatible with the AUTOSAR® environment and functional safety ready.
• Available in SOIC-8 narrow-body supporting basic isolation and SOIC-8 wide-body packaging supporting reinforced isolation, the MCP14C1 isolated SiC gate driver is AEC-Q100 approved. The MCP14C1 is designed to drive mSiC MOSFETs via Undervoltage Lockout (UVLO) for VGS = 18V gate drive split output terminals, which simplifies installation and does away with the requirement for an external diode. It is compatible with the dsPIC33 DSC. By utilizing capacitive isolation technology, galvanic isolation is accomplished, leading to strong noise immunity and excellent Common-Mode Transient Immunity (CMTI).

• Five parallel source sense leads are included in the mSiC MOSFET in the AEC-Q101-qualified D2PAK-7L XL surface mount package to lower switching losses, boost current capacity, and lower inductance. Battery voltages of 400V and 800V are supported by this device.

Microchip has published a white paper that provides more information about how this OBC solution can optimize a design’s performance and speed up its time to market.

For more information about Microchip’s OBC solutions for EVs: CLICK HERE

Development Tools

The dsPIC33C DSC is an AUTOSAR-ready device and is supported by the MPLAB® development ecosystem including MPLAB PowerSmart™ Development Suite.

Availability

The main components for an OBC solution including the dsPIC33C DSC, the MCP14C1 isolated SiC gate driver and the mSiC MOSFET in a D2PAK-7L XL package are now available. For additional information and to purchase, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized worldwide distributor or visit Microchip’s Purchasing and Client Services website, www.microchipdirect.com.