This document discusses the protective role of ideal diodes in power supply wiring errors. By using MOSFET-based ideal diodes instead of Schottky diodes, power dissipation can be significantly reduced, thermal layout can be simplified, and system efficiency can be improved.
High availability systems often use dual feed power distribution to achieve redundancy. This document introduces the use of MOSFET-based ideal diodes, specifically the LTC4355 and LTC4354, to replace Schottky diodes. This solution significantly reduces power dissipation from 6W to 1.1W in a -48V, 5A application while simplifying thermal layout.
| Application Voltage | -48V, 5A dual feed application |
|---|---|
| Power Dissipation Reduction | 6W to 1.1W |
They provide protection similar to discrete diode solutions, making wiring errors transparent to the load or preventing damage through reverse input protection networks.
The associated ideal diodes become reverse biased, making the wiring error transparent to the load while the other battery provides power.
This connects the power supplies in series, causing the voltage across the load to near 100V, which can cause damage.