Microchip Technology has introduced the MCP8027, a gate driver that is designed for 3-phase brushless motors. It includes a power module and has a sleep-mode current of 5 µA (typical). The MCP8027 device incorporates three half-bridge drivers for controlling external NMOS/NMOS transistor pairs that are arranged to drive a 3-phase BLDC motor. It also includes a comparator, a voltage regulator for supplying power to a connected microcontroller, power monitoring comparators, an over-temperature sensor, two-level translators, and three operational amplifiers for monitoring motor current.
The MCP8027 features three half-bridge drivers that can deliver a maximum output current of 0.5 A at 12 V. These drivers are designed to control high-side and low-side NMOS MOSFET transistors. The drivers are equipped with shoot-through, over-current, and short-circuit protection.
The MCP8027 buck converter has a power output of 750 mW, which is sufficient to supply power to a companion microcontroller. If the buck regulator is not used, it can be deactivated. The integrated 5 V and 12 V low dropout voltage regulators can provide a current of 30 mA. The MCP8027 operates within a temperature range of -40°C to +150°C. The available package variants include of the 40-lead 5 x 5 QFN and the 48-lead 7 x 7 TQFP.
The MCP8027 integrates all essential components for the development of high-performance BLDC/PMSM motor drivers, including high and low-side MOSFET drivers, bias generators, OP-AMPs, protective circuitry, and a communication interface for configuring the internal circuitry.
The EV83F07A, also available from Microchip, is an evaluation board for the MCP8027 QFN40 BLDC Motor Driver. It is meant to showcase the drive capabilities and features provided by the MCP8027 in BLDC/PMSM motor applications. The board is engineered to possess great adaptability, consisting of two layers, being cost-effective, capable of handling large currents, and easily adjustable to cater to a wide range of client requirements. This is achieved by using the MCP8027 for 3-Phase Brushless DC (BLDC) motor gate driver and the dsPIC33CK128MP503 microcontroller, both supplied by Microchip. To enable the use of various algorithms, such as sinusoidal single shunt FOC or trapezoidal motor control algorithm in either sensor or sensorless mode, the board can be conveniently customized by utilizing the jumpers provided on the board.
