Ballast Design App Expands December 2005 Issue Published Date: December 14, 2005
Version 4.0 of IRPLBDA4 ballast-design software has recently added features that include support for dc input voltage applications and a time domain graph function. The graphing feature is based on a simplified numerical analysis technique and shows ballast output waveforms including the half-bridge voltage, lamp voltage and current, and resonant inductor and resonant capacitor current. The software generates designs for the IR2520D ballast-control IC and the IR2161 intelligent control IC for low-voltage halogen lamp transformers. It supports 38 lamp types plus seven unique ballast configurations as well as user defined lamp types. Over 20 parameters are selectable including frequency, voltage, current, and component values. The inductor calculator creates winding specifications for the resonant output inductor as well as the power factor correction inductor. Compatible with Windows XP, the software is available at no charge from the company's web site. For more information, contact Wayne Yoshida at INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER, El Segundo, CA. (310) 252-7726.
