Power Integrations unveils A19 LED-driver reference design targeting 100-W incandescent-bulb replacements

Power Integrations has announced DER-323, a reference design for an 18W, 88%-efficient, non-isolated A19 LED driver based on the LNK460VG low-profile IC from the company's LinkSwitch-PL family. The design is suitable for a 100-W incandescent bulb replacement and is optimized for 90 to 135 VAC operation. The reference design implements a low-cost driver, requiring only a simple single-sided board and 25 components. No potting is necessary and a low-cost inductor replaces the transformer. DER-323 utilizes a simple buck-boost converter topology that fits easily inside the A19 bulb. The design is EN61000-3-2 (C) compliant and has a power factor of over 0.98, easily satisfying commercial and consumer compliance requirements. Because LinkSwitch-PL ICs combine both PFC and CC converter functions in a single-stage topology, no electrolytic bulk capacitor is necessary, resulting in a very long operational life. Comments Andrew Smith, product marketing manager at Power Integrations, "The lighting industry typically asks for 80% efficiency for drivers targeting 60 W A19 bulb replacements. To achieve viable LED-based replacements for 75 W and 100 W bulbs, much higher efficiency is needed in order to reduce the heat dissipated by the driver. The 88% efficiency of DER-323 satisfies this need and makes the thermal design of the bulb straightforward and inexpensive. DER-323 is also compact, reliable and easy to manufacture thanks to its low component count, single-stage architecture and use of a low-cost inductor rather than a transformer." Power Integrations Reference design deeplink