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Powering innovation
Electric-powered aviation
with high-efficiency,
scalable power components
The solution

Reducing CO2 emissions

Reducing (CO2) emissions

Escalating concern over rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is driving worldwide demand for more pure electric vehicle and hybrid electric vehicles. While automotive has led this charge, the airline industry is ramping quickly and is analyzing the cost/performance benefits of electric-powered aviation. If air travel costs can be driven down, it can expand air travel to under-serviced or remote geographies.

Power delivery network challenges

Power delivery network challenges

Compact and light-weight power

Compact and light-weight power

DC-DC converter with wide range input

DC-DC converter with wide range input

High efficiency and simplified thermals

High efficiency and simplified thermals

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A modular proven approach

A modular proven approach

The overall modularity and scalability of Vicor’s solution enabled Ampaire’s engineers to achieve key design advantages compared to bulky, conventional ‘silver box’ power supplies. These power technology advantages were complemented by Vicor’s proven heritage of providing military/aerospace-grade quality and reliability. In the highly regulated aviation technology domain, this helps streamline validation and certification cycles. This ease of component certification will prove to be a great asset as Ampaire transitions from its current modified hybrid powertrain architecture to a fully electric propulsion system.

Advantages of a Vicor solution

Why Vicor

Modular and scalable

Modular and scalable

Lightweight

Lightweight

High efficiency

High efficiency

2-stage modular solution

The power conversion and regulation is done in 2 stages, to optimize the efficiency and power density and to simplify thermal management.  A fixed ratio bus converter module (BCM) is used to isolate and down convert the high voltage battery, then followed by (stage 2) a low voltage DC-DC converter to regulate the output of the bus converter to 28V.  

Learn more about the modular approach power.

The power delivery network

Ampaire solution
High-volatage BCM bus converter

High-voltage BCM4414 bus converter

Input: 500 – 800V

Output: 31.3 – 50.0V

Current: Up to 35A

110.6 x 35.5 x 9.4mm

DCM DC-DC converter

Low-voltage DCM DC-DC converter

Input: 16 – 50V

Output: 16.8 – 30.8V

Power: Up to 320W

85.93 x 35.54 x 9.4mm

Related products

DCM DC-DC converters

Input: 9 – 420V

Output: 3.3, 5, 12, 13.8, 15, 24, 28, 36, 48V

Power: Up to 1300W

Efficiency: Up to 96%

As small as 24.8 x 22.8 x 7.21mm

BCM bus converter modules

Input: 800 – 48V

Output: 2.4 – 55.0V

Current: Up to 150A

Efficiency: Up to 98%

As small as 22.0 x 16.5 x 6.7mm