Power Integrations and Ideal Power are collaborating on a solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) architecture aimed at 800 VDC AI data center power systems. The companies say the goal is fast fault interruption with lower loss than existing electronic breaker approaches, while staying “always-on” without requiring an external auxiliary supply.

The architecture pairs Power Integrations’ 1700 V InnoMux-2 power conversion ICs with Ideal Power’s B-TRAN bidirectional semiconductor power switches. The companies have demonstrated a working prototype and are developing a reference design.

In the proposed SSCB design, the InnoMux-2 IC converts 800 VDC into isolated power used for gate-drive, control electronics, sensing, and auxiliary circuitry. Ideal Power’s B-TRAN switch is then used to protect the 800 VDC power path feeding the AI computing load. Power Integrations says the InnoMux-2 uses 1700 V PowiGaN technology, and that the 1700 V rating enables operation from an 800 VDC bus with margin.

Power Integrations also highlights that InnoMux-2 provides multiple independently regulated outputs, rather than using a single isolated PSU followed by multiple downstream DC-DC converters. The companies describe the result as a self-powered protection approach intended to avoid tapping an external auxiliary supply while enabling “ultra-fast” fault isolation.

SSCBs are getting more attention as higher rack power pushes operators toward higher distribution voltages, because interruption speed and let-through energy start to matter a lot once you’re trying to protect expensive downstream power electronics. But efficiency matters too: in an 800 VDC path, any added conduction or conversion loss turns directly into heat that has to be removed, and it’s hard to justify protection hardware that materially dents end-to-end electrical efficiency.

“As AI data centers move toward 800 VDC power architectures, the industry must address new challenges in power conversion, control, and protection at the system level,” said Chris Jacobs, senior vice president of marketing and product strategy at Power Integrations.

Ideal Power CEO David Somo said, “Mechanical breakers are too slow, while previous semiconductor-based breakers have historically been disqualified by high power loss,” and pointed to “1700 V GaN capability” and “multiple independently regulated outputs” as a fit for an SSCB architecture with tight efficiency requirements and mechanical constraints.

Source: Power Integrations