Infineon has introduced two AI data center power designs aimed at server ODMs and OEMs: an 18 kW three-phase PSU reference design for 50 V rack architectures, and a 30 kW three-phase interleaved T-Type PFC evaluation board for 800 VDC or ±400 VDC rack architectures using a power sidecar. The pair targets higher rack power and tighter thermal margins driven by rising GPU power levels and denser rack configurations.
The Infineon 18 kW PSU reference design includes an integrated energy buffer intended to smooth grid power draw during AI peak loads, removing the need for a separate capacitor bank unit. Infineon says the approach reduces required capacitor volume by up to 50%, cutting component cost and footprint. The design is rated for a peak efficiency of 97.5% and uses 650 V CoolSiC MOSFETs, 80 V CoolGaN switches, EiceDRIVER gate drivers, and a PSOC microcontroller.
For the PFC stage, the 18 kW reference design uses a 5-level active neutral-point clamped (ANPC) PFC topology. Infineon reports 0.2% higher peak efficiency at 50% load than a T-Type PFC and 0.4% higher than a Vienna Rectifier, along with reduced magnetic-component volume. The design specifies a 20 ms hold-up time and support for GPU electrical data peak processing (EDPP) loads up to 180%.
On electrical and mechanical specs, the 18 kW reference design accepts 311–528 VAC three-phase input and is specified for -5°C to 45°C ambient operation. Infineon lists a 104 × 710 × 40 mm form factor for 19-inch racks and a power density of 100 W/in³. The design also uses an integrated planar magnetic construction for a compact, modular high-frequency transformer.
The 30 kW three-phase interleaved T-Type PFC evaluation board targets HVDC data center applications and is built around 650 V CoolGaN bidirectional switches (in the back-to-back switching path) plus 1200 V CoolSiC MOSFETs (in the high-voltage power stage). Infineon specifies peak efficiency above 99%, input current total harmonic distortion (iTHD) below 5% for loads above 30%, and a power factor exceeding 0.99 across most of the load range. Control is handled by the programmable power control accelerator (PPCA) in the PSOC C3 MCU, and current sensing uses the XENSIV TLE4978 isolated magnetic Hall + Coil sensor with 9 MHz bandwidth.
For operators, the practical takeaway is that these aren’t shipping PSUs—they’re reference and evaluation platforms meant to shorten design cycles. But the numbers matter: 18 kW at 50 V and 30 kW-class PFC for HVDC racks are squarely in the range where small efficiency gains and capacitor volume reductions can translate into meaningful thermal and space trade-offs at the row level.
Infineon said both the 18 kW three-phase PSU reference design and the 30 kW three-phase T-Type PFC evaluation board will be available for evaluation soon, with additional documentation and product details posted online.
Source: Infineon
