iWatt launches latest off-line primary-side PWM power converter

iWatt has announced its latest off-line primary-side PWM power converter with 800 V bipolar power transistor for universal AC input. The new iW1816 digital PWM converter supports high capacitance loads up to 6,000 μF at up to 5 W. The device also includes an adaptively controlled soft start, which enables fast start-up for a wide range of output voltages from 5 to 12 V and higher, while driving a large capacitive load. In addition, the iW1816 enables under 100 mW system standby power to meet the increasing demands for high energy efficiency in standby mode. The iW1816 was developed in conjunction with manufacturers of home appliances and is optimized to meet the requirements of demanding power-supply applications in smart meters, industrial controls, microwave ovens, and household appliances. Designed to operate in noisy environments and drive large capacitive loads iWatt's primary-side control uses proprietary digital algorithms to eliminate the need for a secondary-side regulator and optical feedback isolator, lowering the total BOM cost, reducing the overall power-subsystem size, and improving reliability. The IC provides accurate control of the output over a wide range of operating conditions, and ensures tight load and line regulation, along with full protection from fault conditions, without costly additional components. The iW1816 uses valley-mode switching to reduce EMI, simplify manufacturing, reduce the need for input filtering, and meet international EMI standards. The device offers full protection from fault conditions, such as over-voltage protection, over-current protection, and over-temperature protection. iW1816 Key Features

• Internal power switch rated to 800V
• Accurate voltage (+/- 3%) and current control (+/- 3%)
• Start-up with large output capacitance (6,000μF)
• Optimized for 12V output
• Primary-side control increases reliability, reduces power-subsystem size, lowers BOM cost