Dc-dc supports 48V GPUs in 12V data centres for 1,000A GPUs

Vicor has announced a 12-48V non-isolated up converter to support 48V high-performance GPUs in data centres with legacy 12V power distribution.

NBM2317S14B5415T00 converts 750W continuously (1kW peak) through a 23 x 17 x 7.4mm surface-mount SM-ChiP package with >98% peak efficiency.

“The NBM supports state-of-the-art 48V input GPUs using power-on-package [PoP] modular current multipliers [MCMs] driven from a 48V node sourcing a small fraction [1/48] of the GPU current,” said the firm. “Current multiplication overcomes the power delivery boundaries imposed by traditional 12V systems standing in the way of higher bandwidth and connectivity.”

It is a complete converter, requiring no external input filter or bulk capacitors.

Switching is at 2MHz with ZVS and ZCS, and “MHz transient response to dynamic loads”, is claimed.

Hot-swap capability and in-rush current limiting are provided.

Vicor PoP modules are intended to work within factorised power architecture (FPA) systems where direct conversion from 48V to 1V at up to 1,000A is provided for GPUs, CPUs and ASICs. “By deploying current multiplication close to high current artificial intelligence processors, PoP MCMs enable higher system efficiency,” said Vicor.