Silicon Laboratories Inc. introduced the industry’s first isolated 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) products designed specifically for the demands of mains line monitoring. The new Si890x family combines Silicon Labs’ patented CMOS-based digital isolation technology and its proven ADC technology to create a robust line voltage monitoring and protection solution for power management applications such as solar power inverters, switched-mode and uninterruptible power supplies, and industrial applications with sensors in high-voltage areas requiring isolated data acquisition. Isolated ADCs are essential for applications where the power drawn from the ac mains must be monitored. The most common solution for these applications today uses a current transformer coupled with discrete components and a data converter – a bulky approach that drives up the size and complexity of power supplies. While standalone ADCs are available, they require external galvanic isolators to connect to the mains or other high-voltage systems. Other vendors offer isolated ADCs optimized for motor control, but these devices are too costly for the mains monitoring market. Silicon Labs engineered the Si890x isolated ADCs to meet the needs of the mains monitoring market in ways no other vendors have addressed.
Silicon Laboratories
www.silabs.com