(Source: Yan / stock.adobe.com; generated with AI)
The need for efficient and adaptable power delivery solutions for data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) applications continuously processing enormous amounts of data is at an all-time high. Improving power delivery is often crucial in improving overall computing power and efficiency. Flexibility—as well as size, cost, and thermal performance—is key in developing optimal power delivery networks (PDNs). Power delivery systems need to adapt how they physically integrate into high-performance systems to meet the current demands.
A large cluster of processors might require current to be delivered from a component located on the other side of the board, or vertically, rather than on the top side of the board to optimize space, for instance. Increased processor and component density on the board makes the need for more compact power delivery solutions even greater.
In addition to challenges posed by processor density, managing heat dissipation is another essential aspect of high-performance computing systems. Cooling solutions can prevent overheating and reduce operational costs while improving system efficiency. One solution to consider here is that power can be delivered vertically through the PCB from the power components placed on the bottom side of the PCB rather than laterally from a component next to the processor(s) on the board. Let’s talk more about what that means.
Lateral power delivery is the traditional power delivery method on PCBs. This is when power comes from a component attached to the same side of the board and is connected to a processor via a trace or lead. The longer those connection traces are, the greater the potential for power leakage or other inefficiencies. Meanwhile, vertical power delivery increases efficiency by eliminating the lead for traces on the board by connecting a processor to a regulator on the other side of the board—a through-hole connection with short pins that significantly reduces the potential factors contributing to incremental power loss. Vertical power delivery also simplifies board design by eliminating the need for complex board maps, as processor arrays on one side of the board can be paired one-to-one with regulators on the other side that share the same pin map.
Aside from simplifying board design, vertical power delivery has advantages to thermal management. Big data centers and server farms have generous amounts of heat. The heat generated between vertically arranged components is more centralized than if they were necessarily spaced out on one side of the board, making the heat easier to dissipate with an appropriate thermal management system.
Analog Devices’ µModule® portfolio of power delivery solutions can provide lateral or vertical power delivery to high performance computing (HPC) applications while maintaining the same high level of performance. µModule voltage regulators with built-in capacitors reduce the need for extraneous components on the board, and their compact form factors save valuable design space. Attaching inductors to the top of the module makes better use of vertical space and helps optimize board space for processors or other components. By utilizing the same pin map as a GPU attached to one side of the board and a ball grid array (BGA) on the other side, the regulator can connect to the processor over the shortest physical distance possible. Reducing the physical distance of that connection is one of the keys to improving the transient response and other power delivery inefficiencies. The µModule portfolio offers single-stage and two-stage solutions for PCB power delivery challenges that deliver high performance and easy scalability for telecom, networking, and big data applications.
Among Analog Devices' robust DC/DC regulators, the LTM4681 and LTM4683 provide single-stage solutions for up to 16V and 14V input applications, respectively. They can handle up to 125A, come in compact BGA packages, and integrate a power management bus (PMBus) interface for easy scalability across applications. The 2-wire serial interface allows precise margining, tuning, and programmable output ramping. With remote configurability and telemetry monitoring, these devices are optimized for efficient and flexible power management.
For applications with higher power demands, the LTP80xx series provides a single stage power solutions from 54Vin to core voltage levels. The LTP80xx series can also be remotely configured and telemetrically monitored for ease of design and implementation and integrates various components to save board space.
The LTP8800-1A, LTP8800-2, LTP8800-4A, and LTP8803-1A DC regulators use a resonant switching architecture to minimize high-voltage switching losses, improving overall efficiency, especially at high conversion ratios. For example, the LTP8803-1A series boasts peak efficiency rates as high as 91.8 percent, while saving physical space on the board for added components and functionality. Moreover, all four LTP8800 series regulators are available in 22mm × 24mm × 6.7mm and 22mm × 24mm × 22mm surface-mounted open-frame packages.
As data centers and server farms continue to increase and “big data” and AI continue to spur massive investments from both the public and private sectors, power delivery methods and systems will have to evolve to meet these growing demands. Optimizing power delivery networks may be the single most significant factor in increasing overall computing power and processing data on an even bigger scale. However, maximizing power density becomes more challenging as processors and other components continue to shrink. This makes advanced power delivery architectures critical for improving overall computing efficiency and performance.
Building efficient and reliable PDNs is the backbone of high-power computing applications, and Analog Devices’ µModule series of DC regulators are an ideal solution for data mining and processing operations, AI and ML, telecommunications, and networking. With support for 12V and 54V input systems, Analog Devices' µModule regulators offer single-stage and two-stage solutions, designed to accommodate both lateral and vertical power delivery configurations that bring a range of advantages.
Alex Pluemer is a senior technical writer for Wavefront Marketing specializing in advanced electronics, emerging technologies and responsible technology development.
Analog Devices has built one of the longest standing, highest growth companies within the technology sector utilizing cultural pillars such as innovation, performance, and excellence. Acknowledged industry-wide as the world leader in data conversion and signal conditioning technology, Analog Devices serves over 100,000 customers, representing virtually all types of electronic equipment. Celebrating over 50 years as a leading global manufacturer of high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing applications, Analog Devices is headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, with design and manufacturing facilities throughout the world. Analog Devices' is included in the S&P 500 Index.