A few days ago, on the GTC 2018, the Vicor team witnessed the launch of NVIDIA's DGX-2, the most powerful AI system to date. The DGX-2 uses 16 SXM3 GPU cards to provide computing performance of 2 petaflops per second, providing 10 times deeper learning performance than the previous generation DGX-1, while consuming only 10 kW. In the exhibition hall, the DGX-2 will be on display with the SXM3 card, where you can see the latest Vicor PoP solution and our PI3526 ZVS buck regulator. Just recently on March 6, we introduced a 600A stable current output PoP solution that can directly convert 48V to XPU core voltage.
Integrated Power Solution Eliminate Last-Inch Power Supply
The sealed power supply is based on Vicor's fractional power architecture (FPA) and has been deployed in a variety of high-performance computing systems. It is a major highlight of the 2017 OPC (Open Computing Project) US Summit. The FPA supports applications that convert directly from 48V to processor voltages. The resulting efficiency and current supply performance is similar to a conventional 12V design, but the power density is twice that. Power conversion based on the FPA architecture and the Vicor SM-ChiP 3D package enable higher power density for PoP devices.
The high-density power conversion solution is integrated in two modules: a modular current multiplier (MCM) and a modular current multiplier driver (MCD). The small MCM helps to provide high currents on the package or at the location closest to the processor die, further eliminating the loss of large currents flowing through the motherboard and socket. The MCM eliminates the "last inch" processor power supply problem that plagues a conventional 12V design, thereby reducing not only power distribution losses but also overall power efficiency.
The combined power supply not only eliminates the “last inch” problem, provides efficient power to the processor, but also enables efficient powering of the entire rack processor by supporting 48V input. The traditional 12V power supply architecture cannot provide powerful power support for multiple high-current processors on a server rack without increasing power consumption and cost. Compared to 12V power distribution, with 48V power distribution, the benefits that server racks can achieve include reduced copper foil, reduced connector size, and improved power supply efficiency. 48V power distribution helps data center racks to exceed the power limitations of 12V racks (typically around 15kW per rack), which improves rack utilization. In addition to bringing great convenience to the data center, the 48V input of the sealed power supply is also ideally suited to power processors used in high-performance crash and self-driving cars.
Let 48V GPU system work in original 12V system
At GTC, we also introduced the latest NBM product, a 12V to 48V non-isolated boost converter that supports 48V high-performance GPUs that still rely on the original 12V power distribution data center. The NBM is available in a 23 x 17 x 7.4 mm surface-mount SM-ChiP package that converts 12V to 48V, providing over 98% peak efficiency, 750W of constant power, and 1kW of peak power. NBM is a complete solution that requires neither external input filters nor large-capacity capacitors, but also incorporates hot-swap and in-rush current limiting techniques.
NBM uses ZVS and ZCS topology switching at 2MHz to provide low output impedance and fast transient response at MHz level for dynamic loads. The GTC 2018 just passed is a visual feast for all, and we are excited about our products becoming part of the DGX-2. Vicor will continue to inject innovation into AI applications.
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