The Internet of Things (IoT) is making our world more connected. As products, applications, and technologies work with more complex devices, the need for more complex supply voltages also increases. One viable way to provide higher voltage rails is to use a dual output DC/DC converter. This blog will explain how to incorporate a dual output DC/DC converter into your design to meet the requirements of higher voltage supplies.
The industrial manufacturing sector has seen a significant increase in the range of technologies deployed on the factory floor. With industrial floor space at a premium, the number of devices crammed into a single control cabinet is increasing rapidly, as is the amount of computing workload. To meet these challenges, many engineers are incorporating more powerful systems-on-chip (SoCs) and programmable logic devices into their designs. Often, the result of using more complex devices is that the number of different power rails required also increases. Traditional voltage rails such as 1.8V, 3.3V, and 5V may be provided by an intermediate bus converter operating on a 12V backplane. Increasingly; however, it is not uncommon to require a 24V rail. In short,Meet the need for higher voltage outputs with dual-output DC/DC converters.
Whether used in intermediate bus architectures or point-of-load, DC/DC converters are a common method of providing low to medium supply voltages. Regulated single and dual output versions are the most popular, and most of them also provide a means of isolation, which is essential for compliance with various safety standards. They are undoubtedly the "go-to" devices for engineers when planning the power architecture of a new design. However, sometimes an application may require a higher output voltage rail so that a specific function can be included. If the power requirements are not high, the natural choice is to add another DC/DC converter that provides the required voltage (such as 24V). Unfortunately, this can introduce some complications that need to be considered. First, it can introduce additional products in the bill of materials (BOM) that need to be purchased and managed. In addition, in this example, the single output 24V DC/DC converter may occupy a larger PCB space. Secondary considerations may include the impact on the mean time before failure (MTBF) of the entire device, depending on the construction of the converter. A higher voltage single output DC/DC converter may also incur a small additional cost.
Dual output DC converters also have the following features:
Input flexibility: The ability to choose from two different power inputs increases system flexibility and redundancy. For example, the output of a solar panel can be connected to the output of a battery at the same time. When there is sufficient sunlight, solar energy is used first; when there is insufficient sunlight, it automatically switches to battery power.
High energy efficiency: Modern dual input and output DC converters have high efficiency conversion characteristics, which can maintain effectiveness under different load conditions and reduce energy losses.
Intelligent control: Many devices are equipped with advanced control logic that can dynamically adjust the operating mode according to the input voltage conditions to optimize the overall system performance.
