PowerELab Limited: A Power Converter Technology Provider
PowerELab Limited is a technology provider serving the global electronics industry, with a primary focus on high-efficiency energy conversion and switching power converter products. The company originated as a spin-off from the Power Electronics Lab at The University of Hong Kong, retaining a strong foundation in academic research and intellectual property. The University of Hong Kong is a shareholder, and PowerELab has been granted the right to use and sublicense the power supply design technologies and patents developed at the university. The company is based in Hong Kong Science Park and works closely with manufacturers in South China to produce competitive products.
Continue…Core Business and Function
PowerELab's core function is to act as a Power Converter Technology Provider and a design and consultancy firm for power electronics. The company's engineering team focuses on developing and providing solutions for switching power converter products, with an emphasis on increasing efficiency and power density. They assist clients throughout the product development lifecycle, from initial design to meeting regulatory requirements for manufactured goods.
Products and Product Design Capabilities
The company does not only offer consultancy but also develops and offers its own proprietary technology in the form of integrated circuits (ICs) and modules, in addition to offering comprehensive design services for a broad range of customer products.
Design and Development Services
PowerELab provides extensive design services for high-efficiency, high-power density, and special application power electronics products. These products include:
- AC-DC Power Supplies and Converters
- DC-DC Converters (including Buck, Boost, Forward, Flyback, Bridge, and Half-Bridge topologies)
- DC-AC Inverters
- Battery Chargers (for applications like car lead-acid batteries and hand tools)
- LED Drivers and Power Converters for LED Products
- Electronic Ballasts (including high-frequency lamp ballasts and dimmable electronic ballasts)
- 80+ Server and 80+ ATX Power Supplies
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers
- Medical Power Supplies
- Automotive Power Converters
- High-Efficiency Solutions such as 99+% Efficiency Totem Pole Power Factor Correction (PFC)
Integrated Circuit and Module Products
PowerELab develops and markets digital controllers and integrated modules, which represent specific, off-the-shelf product offerings:
- EMM9988 GaN Power Module: An integrated flyback power module designed for high-density converter applications, particularly for USB Power Delivery (USB PD) Type-C. It integrates a high voltage Gallium Nitride (GaN) MOSFET, a PWM controller, and a unique energy recovery voltage clamper, supporting 100W+ applications.
- ZPL1602 Series: A one-chip solution for resonant LLC converters, incorporating powerful digital control for output regulation, Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Temperature Protection (OTP), and precise synchronous rectification (Sync. Rect.) driving to maximize efficiency.
- ZPL1604-x Series: A one-chip solution for a variety of DC-DC converters (Buck, Boost, etc.) with embedded powerful digital control, but with the ease of use of an analog chip. It includes features like output regulation control and system protection functions.
- Digital Controllers: The company also developed a specific LLC + Synchronous Rectifier (SR) digital controller technology.
- Totem Pole PFC Converter Chips: One-chip solutions utilizing digital control and a non-linear control approach for high-efficiency PFC.
Services Offered
The services provided by PowerELab extend beyond pure design and cover technological, operational, and educational aspects of power electronics:
- Consultancy and Patent Licensing: They offer general consultancy and specialize in patent licensing for their proprietary power supply design technologies.
- Regulatory Compliance Services: The company provides services to help clients meet various regulatory requirements for their power electronics products.
- Measurement and Testing: They carry out tests on power supply products, providing detailed reports to clients on product performance.
- Training Courses: PowerELab offers a series of one-day or half-day training courses on switching power supply technologies. These courses are tailored for both fresh/inexperienced engineers and engineers with some experience, offering an opportunity to master day-to-day work or delve into more in-depth technologies. On-site training is also available.
- PowerEsim Online Design Tool: The company developed and offers PowerEsim, a free, web-based Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tool for switching power supplies. This tool eliminates the need for complicated licensing and software installation, allowing users to design and simulate a power supply online. It includes functionalities for circuit, magnetic, transformer, thermal, stability, Monte Carlo, Design Verification Test (DVT), Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), life, and current harmonics simulation, and is supported by a large component database.
Client Base
PowerELab's clientele includes a diverse range of entities within the electronics ecosystem:
- Electronic Product Manufacturers
- Switching Power Supply Manufacturers
- Integrated Circuit (IC) Developers
- Engineering Consultants and Contractors
- Lighting Equipment Manufacturers
- Universities
