The results show that eFuse technology can significantly improve safety and reduce the material and maintenance costs of systems such as on-board chargers (OBC) in motor vehicles.
SiC and GaN-based power electronics are increasingly finding their way into electric vehicles and other applications with high voltages. This makes it necessary to replace the mechanical fuses used in conventional silicon (Si)-based power converters to shut down the system immediately when an overcurrent is detected, protecting equipment and avoiding costly maintenance.
AKM produces the CZ39, a coreless current sensor with a response time of 100 ns. This enables detection of overcurrents and immediate system shutdown.
In a joint proof of concept with the Austrian research center SAL, AKM has developed the eFuse system, which solves the challenges of conventional protection systems with mechanical fuses.
This solution provides the necessary overcurrent and short-circuit protection for the next generation of high-voltage electric vehicles with SiC and GaN-based power devices, such as OBCs.
In addition, the current sensor integrated in the eFuse can efficiently regulate the current in the connected subsystems, reducing the total number of components.
