The new power management IC leverages a boost regulator to extend the run time of non-rechargeable batteries, particularly in Bluetooth Low Energy products.
Aiming to boost battery life for small electronics, Nordic Semiconductor has introduced the nPM2100 power management integrated circuit (PMIC). Nordic designed the nPM2100 to improve the efficiency and life span of disposable, non-rechargeable batteries.
The nPM2100 features improved efficiency, battery monitoring, and an ultra-small package to fit into almost any battery-powered device.
While rechargeable batteries are a cornerstone of consumer electronics, disposable batteries still represent a major portion of power sources, with some projections showing that up to 78 million batteries will be disposed of each day in 2025. Nordic believes its new PMIC could play a key role in maximizing the usage of the limited energy in each battery.
The Importance of Efficiency
At the heart of the nPM2100 is a boost converter, a power electronics architecture that allows an input DC voltage to be “boosted” up to a higher value. Boost converters eliminate the need for large AC transformers and can have very high efficiencies.
The boost converter topology allows DC voltages to be increased with simple electronics, making it a pervasive architecture for battery-powered applications.
For battery-powered applications, this efficiency is key. Since boost converters are often the first stage of any onboard power distribution, small increases in efficiency can have large overall impacts on the amount of wasted power. In the case of battery-powered systems, this improved efficiency means users will have to change batteries less and can get the most out of a single primary cell.
Densely-Integrated Power Control
Power efficiency is the cornerstone of Nordic’s new PMIC, with a reported max efficiency of 95% and a 50-mA current draw. This metric, combined with the wide input operating range of 0.7 V–3.4 V and output range of 1.8 V–3.3 V, means that designers can minimize waste power and extend the life of disposable batteries.
The onboard boost converter, I2C interface, and LDO regulator make the nPM2100 a versatile PMIC.
The nPM2100 can support one or two AA/AAA/LRxx batteries or a single LiMnO2 cell. The chip also supports many features to improve the design and user experience, such as better battery fuel gauging. The nPM2100 series also supports 35-nA sleep and 200-nA hibernation modes, making it possible to ship products with preinstalled batteries or even triple the battery life of BLE systems.
Getting the Most Out of Batteries
The nPM2100's improved efficiency, small packaging, and dense feature set make it an attractive candidate for many applications that work on extremely thin power budgets. The nPM2100 is available for sampling in an ultra-compact 1.9 mm × 1.9 mm WLCSP package, with future availability in a 4 mm × 4 mm QFN package. Full-volume production is slated for the first half of 2025.