Contributing to Lower Power Consumption in Server with High-efficiency, High-airflow Cooling Fan Motor Drive Control: Nuvoton Releases Industrial 48V Direct Drive Motor Driver IC

KYOTO, Japan, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan (NTCJ) announced on July 8 the launch of a new 48V direct drive motor driver IC that enables high efficiency and high airflow with high speed rotation in fan motors.

Image: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108245/202407123567/_prw_PI1fl_92dLE2oI.png

  1. The newly developed motor driver IC incorporates a 100V-rated voltage control circuit, based on the high-voltage control circuit technology that NTCJ has cultivated over the years, into a small 4mm x 4mm QFN package, while significantly reducing external components such as step-down regulators (53% reduction from the conventional 24V product). This reduces power loss and enables installation onto 1U-size (40mm x 40mm) fans, contributing to high-density data processing.

  2. The high-speed data processing of the AI server requires the fan motor to rotate at a higher speed in order to cool down the increasing heat generation. Simultaneously, it is necessary to suppress the rising trend of power consumption in fan motors, and its vibrations that adversely affect the HDD error rate. NTCJ's proprietary technology for real-time feedback control of motor drive current value and phase with high resolution makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of single-phase fan motors by 30% and vibration by 20 dB compared to conventional motors, even at high speeds when higher airflow can be output. This contributes to high-speed, large-capacity data processing that requires high cooling capabilities.

  3. In general, it is difficult to detect reverse rotation in a single-phase fan motor. So, when the fan motor stops and there is interference in between multiple fans, or when the fan motor rotates in reverse due to disturbances such as the inflow of external air, it is difficult to restart the fan motor in conventional products. However, NTCJ's proprietary rotation control algorithm can achieve reliable and stable restart even from reverse rotation speed that is twice as high as the conventional products.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.nuvoton.com/products/motor-drivers/motor-driver-ics/brushless-dC-Motor-drivers-BLDC/

About Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan: https://www.nuvoton.co.jp/en/