Integrating Circuit-Protection Functions Reduces Power Source Costs

摘要

In order to stay competitive, most manufacturers look for ways to lower their production costs. Ideally, this should be done without sacrificing product quality and reliability. Power supplies often need expensive circuit protection components to keep them from failing during abnormal conditions, but many circuit protection measures used in power supplies are not very obvious, and their costs are not readily apparent. These obscure protection measures involve the over-sizing of power train and related components such as the switch device, its heat sink and clamp circuits, the transformer core size and output rectifiers and capacitors. Eliminating external circuit protection devices and hidden protection measures can significantly reduce power supply costs. But, simply doing away with circuit protection is not feasible since that sacrifices reliability, robustness and/or supply safety. However, moving circuit protection functions onto a highly integrated power conversion IC can safely eliminate some expensive discrete parts and allow power train components to be sized for the load they will normally deliver.