Efficiency boost for data centre AI power
Maxim Integrated has launched a multi-phase chipset to boost the efficiency of power management for AI in the data centre.
The two devices, a dual output voltage regulator and smart power stage, use current ripple cancellation from Maxim’s patented coupled inductor and a 50 percent lower switching frequency. The monolithic integrated approach reduces parasitic resistance and inductance between FETs and drivers to achieve the efficiency.
The combination of the MAX16602 regulator and the MAX20790 IC boosts efficiency by one percentage point to over 95 percent efficiency at 1.8V output voltage and 200A load conditions.
This increase in efficiency translates to a 16 percent reduction in power and also reduces the output capacitance by 40 percent, reducing total size and capacitor count and the heat generated. The chipset provides a scalable solution for various output current requirements and is customizable to support multiple form factors for placing at different locations on an AI processor board. The low profile of less than 4mm for the coupled inductor is customizable to support multiple form factors such as peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) and OCP accelerator modules (OAM)
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Hyperscale data centre designers continue to grapple with increasing peak power and related higher thermal levels as they boost computing power to take on the rapidly rising demands of AI applications and deep learning.
Space constraints also challenge designers as they seek to boost AI functionality. The chipset allows developers to reduce component count and bill-of-materials (BOM) costs. The MAX20790 smart power stage has a footprint of 24mm2 and implements phase current steering for thermal balance and supports switching frequencies from 300kHz to 1.3MHz. The 95.6 percent peak efficiency is achieved with a 6-phase supply at 400kHz, 12V VIN, 1.8V VOUT
The low-profile coupled inductor technology supports higher saturation current per phase compared to a discrete inductor which allows designers to overcome space limitations by having lower phase count while also lowering the total cost of ownership.
The design is scalable from 2 to 16 phases for different output current requirements (thermal design current is typically 60A to 800A or more.
The chipset also enables AI computing at the edge as well as cloud computing in the data centre.
“The real estate for AI power solutions is becoming limited while the need to provide high power density in a pre-designed small space is more critical. As a result, designers need a scalable solution to customize their design objectives,” said Steven Chen, director of business management for the Cloud and Data Center Business Unit at Maxim Integrated. “This multi-phase AI power chipset by Maxim Integrated powers AI hardware accelerators such as GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs and xPUs to increase solution efficiency and reduce solution size for different form factors such as PCIe and OAM.”
The MAX16602CL8EVKIT# evaluation kit for both products is available and samples for MAX16602 and MAX20790 are available now.
bit.ly/MAX16602_Product; https://bit.ly/MAX20790_Product
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