Allegro MicroSystems, a global leader in sensing technology and power semiconductor solutions for motion control and energy-saving systems, has expanded its portfolio of three-phase non-inductive BL DC gate drivers with the new A89332 and A89332-1 designed to meet the needs of today's data center cooling systems. The ever-changing needs provide designers with more flexible options. These drives feature innovative integrated Power Loss Brake ((PLB)) (A89332) and AC Power Loss (A89332-1) capabilities, enabling a more compact high-airflow fan design that increases thermal efficiency, reduces power consumption and data Center cost.
When a server fan fails or is damaged, the backflow of air can cause them to spin in the opposite direction, and other normally functioning fans must work twice as hard to compensate for the resulting backflow, which increases power consumption. The traditional solution to prevent reverse rotation is to add external circuits and components to act as a power-off brake, but these components are not suitable for 1U fans. And this traditional approach requires software coding, increases bill of materials (BoM) and system size, and slows time to market.
Addressing these pain points, the A89332's integrated power-off braking function applies a brake on a malfunctioning fan and prevents it from rotating in reverse, providing four times the braking performance of a discrete solution, reducing unnecessary power consumption and improving thermal efficiency, ultimately reducing the cost of the data center. Combined with the A89332-1's AC power-down logic, Allegro is now able to serve the high-end server market with a gate driver 36% smaller than comparable products in a 4mm x 4mm QFN package, ideal for "donut" circuits board design.
Allegro provides the industry's most advanced code-free solution for server cooling fans, and the company's innovative embedded algorithms and graphical user interface (GUI) eliminate the need for additional Hall-effect position sensors, motor control units (MCUs), or additional software development , which helps system designers reduce development costs, simplify motor commissioning, and reduce time to market. The reduced need for external components helps to further optimize system cost and improve reliability, while integrated features provide greater flexibility when customers face stringent design requirements.
Both gate drivers, the A89332 and A89332-1, build on Allegro's long history and experience developing unique motor control devices for the automotive and industrial markets. Allegro's reliable and industry-trusted motor drives have shipped more than 3 billion over the past decade, helping manufacturers create safer, more powerful motor drive solutions and improve system reliability. From electric vehicles to battery-powered cordless power tools to vacuum cleaners, Allegro's motor drives are used in automotive, industrial and consumer applications.
Andy Wang, Director of Allegro Electric Motors (Industrial) Product Line, said: "The industry's demand for data centers to operate more sustainably and consume less power is accelerating, not just building low-maintenance 'lights out' facilities, servers and Related equipment designers are also looking for new ways to reduce heat and power consumption, and fans play an important role in this. We have been focusing on the data center market for some time, and with the introduction of the A89332 and A89332-1, cooling The control of the system will be greatly improved, enabling greater efficiency.”
Both the A89332 and A89332-1 are available in a 26-contact 4mm x 4mm QFN package with an exposed thermal pad (suffix EX). Both devices are lead free and feature 100% matte tin leadframe plating.
