The original protection function composed of separate components makes the powered charger more complete. For example, power adapters with an output power of around 72W, such as 12V6A and 24V3A chargers, have more than 150 components in their circuits. The assembly and debugging processes of these circuits are complex and intimidating. Despite the theoretical maturity of advanced controlled chargers, their widespread application in small and medium-sized devices and household electrical appliances did not occur until the 1990s when a large number of charger driver IC integrated circuits were developed. With the advancement of integrated circuit manufacturing technology, low-power MOS transistors have emerged. As a result, contemporary powered chargers have become as simple as self-excited circuits, with significantly better electrical performance than self-excited chargers.
The use of large-scale single-chip charger chips reduces the peripheral components of the charger, thereby reducing its size and solving the shielding problem caused by high-order harmonic radiation. Taking the charger of Hitachi’s CTP216D color TV as an example, it contains 21 semiconductor devices and more than 50 passive devices (capacitors, resistors, etc.). In contrast, the TDA4605 charger driver integrated circuit developed by Philips in the 1990s, which includes less than 20 components including the switching transistor, can form a charger with a maximum output power of over 200W and a wide voltage range. Its performance is much better than chargers made up of discrete components.
Currently, the progress in semiconductor integrated circuit technology integrates many new charger technologies into the chip itself. Examples include Philips’ new type of charger operating in excited and self-excited modes, gradually controlled charger drivers, and the charger drivers developed by Motorola with synchronous rectification control and frequency modulation quasi-resonant drive. Of particular note is the half-bridge integrated charger driver developed by IR Corporation, which applies to half-bridge or full-bridge circuits. Previously, pulse transformers were widely used in the half-bridge switching circuits of computer PC chargers, but they had small volume requirements and strict manufacturing and debugging processes. However, with IR Corporation’s technology, a single 8-pin integrated circuit eliminates the need for complicated manufacturing process adjustments. Its two-channel waveform timing accuracy and isolation exceed 600V. When combined with a MOS FET switch transistor, this type of integrated circuit greatly simplifies the manufacturing process for kilowatt-level chargers.
The emergence of energy sources has had a tremendous impact on our lives, bringing about significant changes. In many people’s lives, smart home appliances play a significant role. For an appliance, the power supply is crucial. Having an excellent power adapter can greatly enhance the appliance’s battery life and usability. Therefore, companies in the industry have been committed to producing various excellent charger products. Chargers have become one of the best among them.
Before the advent of chargers, most electrical appliances used linear power supplies, which were the previous generation of power products and played an immeasurable role in the development of electrical appliances. However, linear power supplies have various problems during use, limiting the development and use of electrical appliances. Therefore, various appliance manufacturers need better power products. It is in this context that chargers were developed and gained popularity.
The development of chargers has been rapid, quickly gaining recognition and a broad development space. This is mainly because chargers excel in many aspects compared to linear power supplies. The most important characteristic is that both power sources increase costs as power supply increases, but the cost increase for chargers is far lower compared to traditional linear power supplies. Moreover, there is a vast development space for chargers, and with technological advancements, chargers can provide better performance, gradually replacing linear power supplies.
Initially, chargers were primarily used in the familiar field of electronic digital products, especially in the areas of artificial intelligence and laptop computers, where chargers played a significant role. In the 1980s, the computer field gradually replaced power supplies with chargers, undoubtedly opening up sales opportunities for chargers. After entering the 1990s, various electronic products began using chargers as their power sources. Thus, chargers entered a new era of development.
It is believed that with the progress of charger technology, this innovative product will bring new surprises and provide a new direction for the development of electronic products.
Post time: Aug-08-2023