High performance GPUs designed for 12V data centres

10th April 2018

Vicor UK

Lanna Deamer

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Vicor has announced a 12-48V non-isolated up converter to support 48V high performance GPUs in data centres that are still relying on legacy 12V power distribution. The 2317 NBM converts 12-48V with over 98% peak efficiency, 750W continuous and 1kW peak power in a 23x17x7.4mm surface-mount SM-ChiP package. The NBM (NBM2317S14B5415T00) provides a complete solution with no external input filter or bulk capacitors required.

By switching at 2MHz with ZVS and ZCS, the NBM provides low output impedance and MHz fast transient response to dynamic loads. The NBM incorporates hot-swap and inrush current limiting.

The NBM supports 48V input GPUs using Power-on-Package ('PoP') Modular Current Multipliers ('MCMs') driven from a 48V node sourcing a small fraction (1/48) of the GPU current. Current multiplication overcomes the power delivery boundaries imposed by traditional 12V systems standing in the way of higher bandwidth and connectivity.

Vicor Power-on-Package modules build upon Factorised Power Architecture (FPA) systems deployed in high performance computers and large-scale data centres.

FPA provides efficient power distribution and direct conversion from 48-1V for GPUs, CPUs and ASICs demanding up to 1,000A. By deploying current multiplication in close proximity to high current Artificial Intelligence (AI) processors, PoP MCMs enable higher performance and system efficiency.