Infineon plans 12kW battery backup for data centres
Infineon Technologies is developing the industry’s first 12kW battery backup unit (BBU) for AI datacentres.
The higher power is needed to avoid power outages and the risk of data losses with the coming generation of AI accelerators that can use over 1000A of current.
The comprehensive BBU roadmap includes power solutions from 4 kW up to the 12 kW battery backup unit, based on a proprietary architecture that combines silicon and GaN power devices.
This Partial Power Converter (PPC) architecture also protects sensitive AI hardware from voltage spikes, surges, and other power anomalies by filtering and conditioning the power that is supplied to the data centre equipment.
The 12 kW system combines several 4 kW power converter cards using Infineon’s PSOC microcontrollers, 40 V and 80 V OptiMOS and EiceDRIVER Gate Drivers.
Downtime or system failures in AI data centres can cost over $5 million per hour, and 35 percent of these failures are attributed to issues with power component quality.
Higher power levels can be attained by paralleling multiple cards on a motherboard, offering ease of scalability and simplified maintenance. If one card fails, the system continues to operate at a reduced capacity, minimizing downtime and ensuring high reliability. This modular approach allows the system to be tailored to specific power requirements without the need for a full system redesign creating substantial customer benefits in performance and reliability.
“Ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to AI systems is critical for maintaining process continuity and seamless operation,” said Adam White, Division President Power & Sensor Systems at Infineon. “Our energy efficient battery backup units are designed to keep AI servers running smoothly with exceptional performance, flexibility, and efficiency catering to the diverse power levels required by AI servers. By mastering all three relevant semiconductor materials silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) we are confident that Infineon semiconductor solutions will set a new standard in powering AI data centres.”
Infineon is developing full system demonstrators for its battery backup systems at 2025 APEC later this month.
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