Analog Devices introduces ADSP-CM41x series of mixed-signal control processors to lower solar energy cost

Analog Devices has introduced ADSP-CM41x series of mixed-signal control processors. The ADSP-CM41x series is designed to simplify system design, lower cost, and improve efficiency and safety in solar, energy storage, and electric vehicle infrastructure said the company in a statement.

Price of solar panels and battery systems has dropped in recent years, creating the need for inverter technologies to drive the next wave of efficiencies in solar energy.

ADSP-CM41x control processors come with power conversion design and hardware integration specifically tailored to solar and other emerging energy applications. The ADSP-CM41x delivers design time and cost reductions, safety improvements, and the precision gains needed to maximize the impact of today’s inverter designs.

Central to the ADSP-CM41x design is the company’s “dual independent core” safety concept, which enables the integration of safety redundancy and functions into a single chip. The company notes that its architecture saves considerable development time and system cost by eliminating the need for an external supervisory element, which is the current standard. Equally important is the on-board integration of optimized hardware accelerators, designed to offload work from the processor core and boost the processing power available for core functions. Additionally, the device’s on-board arc fault detection simplifies design, and enhances safety by using intelligent decision making to improve reliability and accuracy.

“The cost of sustainable energy is the primary challenge facing the industry,” said Mark Martin, vice president, Industrial Automation, Energy and Sensors, Analog Devices. “With the ADSP-CM41x, Analog Devices has overcome fundamental hurdles in power converter design to help our customers solve this challenge. The controller’s unique architecture and performance levels are key enablers for innovative inverter solutions.”