Outwitting the Catch-22 of Power Architecture Design With GE BoostLynx

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Sep 22, 2016) -  Space is a major concern for any power architect looking to add features and capacity to their designs. Power architects and board designers are constantly searching for ways to pack as many features and as much capacity as possible into electrical systems while also maintaining a reduced footprint. This creates quite the catch-22. GE (NYSE: GE) is helping to free up valuable space by enabling the ability to design in the negative space with its new low- and high-voltage BoostLynx DC-DC step-up converters -- also known as point-of-load (PoL) modules.

The new BoostLynx 65-watt (W) converters offer versatility to support a wide range of electronic products. The modules enable designers to step up their power from an input voltage of 8-16 volts to an output voltage of 16-34 (model ABXS002A3X41-SRZ) or 32-54 volts (model ABXS001A4X41-SRZ). GE's BoostLynx converters are well suited for applications that currently use a 12-volt bus, but have components that require higher voltages (16-52-volts). For example, in small-cell remote radio heads (RRH), components such as radio frequency power amplifiers (RFPAs) require a higher voltage than a typical 12-volt bus can provide.

In addition to powering RFPAs in small-cell applications, BoostLynx converters simplify power supply for 16-54-volt loads like actuators, solenoid valves, cameras, fans, operational amplifiers and sensors often needed in automatic test equipment, LED backlighting, surveillance equipment, low-power machinery (locks, vending machines, dispensers, fluid control), audio applications and robotics.

"As the need for increased power capacity continues to swell, board designers find themselves faced with the dilemma of where to pack in the electrical components required to power today's power-hungry applications," said Vesa Jokitulppo, senior product manager, GE Energy Connections' Industrial Solutions. "Power density becomes a driving factor when choosing components. That's why we have designed our BoostLynx converters to provide the functionality our customers desire in some of the toughest, tightest environments around."