Power Integrations Introduces InnoMux IC to Challenge Post Regulators

At the APEC 2024 conference, Balu Balakrishnan, the chairman and CEO of Power Integrations, made a bold statement as he "declared war on DC-DC post regulators" while unveiling the innovative GaN-based InnoMux-2 switcher IC family. This new product line showcases the company's commitment to value and energy efficiency by integrating AC-DC and DC-DC stages into a single power converter, resulting in a remarkable reduction in power system losses of up to 50%.

The introduction of single-stage, independently regulated multi-output offline power-supply ICs marks a significant advancement in power conversion technology. By consolidating AC-DC and downstream DC-DC conversion stages into a single chip, the need for post regulators is eliminated. This breakthrough is particularly beneficial for various applications such as white goods, industrial systems, displays, emergency lighting, networking, and home automation, where multiple voltage rails are required.

"The InnoMux-2 IC addresses the challenge of multiple voltage outputs by providing up to three independently regulated voltage outputs or two voltage outputs and a constant current output from a single stage. This results in a compact and efficient power sub-system with a reduced component count," explained Roland Saint-Pierre, the vice president of product development at Power Integrations.

By eliminating separate DC-DC stages, the new IC family not only reduces component count and PCB footprint but also enhances efficiency by up to 10 percentage points compared to traditional two-stage architectures. The utilization of 750V PowiGaN transistors, zero-voltage switching, and synchronous rectification further contributes to the overall performance of the ICs.

The InnoMux-2 ICs are designed to deliver up to 90W output with precise regulation of better than ±3% across various operating conditions. With a total power system efficiency exceeding 90%, these ICs are capable of meeting the stringent power consumption requirements of modern applications. Additionally, the inclusion of features like no-load consumption reduction and light load power delivery management ensures compliance with energy efficiency regulations.