Reducing RAN Running Costs with Advanced DC-DC Technologies

Efficiency, reliability and remote monitoring reduce energy and maintenance expenses for telecom

1. Efficiency and Reliability: These are crucial for system architects and telecom operators when designing and deploying small cell wireless transmitters and receivers for 5G. Higher efficiency reduces energy costs, while reliability minimizes unplanned downtime and maintenance costs.
2. Remote Radio Heads (RRHs): These are particularly inefficient, with power-in to power-out efficiencies ranging from 35 to 45%. The inefficiency mainly lies in the radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA).
3. Massive MIMO Challenges: Next-generation “massive MIMO” active antenna unit (AAU) radios require multiple lower-power amplifiers. Linearizing these small amplifiers is costly and only marginally effective.
4. Cost of Unreliability: Unplanned downtime and maintenance, such as a “truck roll” (service technician visit), can be extremely costly, often many times the cost of the failed component.
5. DC-DC Converter Efficiency and Reliability: Designers focus on DC-DC converters for powering RFPA systems. High efficiency (95% or more) and high reliability (MTBF in millions of hours) are essential.
6. Advanced Energy’s Solution: The Advanced Energy Artesyn® ADH1300-48S28 DC-DC converter offers 1,300 W power in a half-brick form factor, nearly 96% efficiency at full load, and a wide range of output voltage adjustment. It is thermally optimized for RRH equipment and supports extended reliable operation with an MTBF exceeding 1.5 million hours.
7. Digital Monitoring and Control: The ADH1300-48S28 includes a PMBus interface for digital configuration, control and monitoring, which helps reduce maintenance costs and supports preventative maintenance by detecting power supply parameter fluctuations.

Efficiency and reliability are key criteria for system architects and telecommunication (telecom) operators who design and deploy small cell wireless transmitters and receivers for 5G and future telecom infrastructure. Both criteria impact operating expenditure (OpEx). Higher efficiencies mean lower energy costs (both for powering the active cell components and any systems needed to cool components and sub-assemblies), while reliability reduces unplanned downtime and maintenance costs.

Remote radio heads (RRHs) in a cell are particularly inefficient, typically ranging between 35 to 45% power-in to power-out. Most of that inefficiency resides in the radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA). Sophisticated linearization techniques and newer design and component technology enable higher output power capabilities. However, next-generation “massive MIMO” active antenna unit (AAU) radios need multiple lower-power amplifiers. Linearizing each of these small amplifiers is costly and marginally effective since the additional circuitry itself consumes much of the power that it is designed to save.
Fig. 1 Advanced Energy’s Artesyn ADH1300-48S28 1300 W half-brick DC-DC converter