Power Conversion for Data Centers & AI Infrastructure

Artificial Intelligence, high-performance computing, cloud services and data-intensive applications are driving rapidly increasing power demand in data centers and AI infrastructure. As rack power and compute density increase, every conversion stage adversely affects system efficiency, thermal load, power density and reliability.

RECOM provides AC/DC and DC/DC power-conversion solutions to support data center and AI power architectures. These include AC/DC conversion for 48VDC-class distribution, high-voltage DC input conversion for emerging architectures, intermediate-bus and board-level DC/DC conversion, point-of-load regulation and auxiliary power with monitoring and control functions where required.

Modern data center and AI compute systems use distributed power architectures to move energy efficiently from the incoming supply to individual electronic loads. Depending on the system, the power chain can include bidirectional AC/DC conversion, an AC/DC or DC/DC 48VDC-class rack or system bus supply, intermediate-bus conversion and local point-of-load regulation. Higher distribution voltages reduce current for a given power level and can therefore lower resistive losses and conductor requirements.

48VDC-class distribution is widely used in current data center and rack architectures because it carries the same power at substantially lower current than legacy lower-voltage buses. Efficient conversion to a 48VDC-class rail helps limit conversion losses and heat while providing a practical intermediate voltage for downstream DC/DC stages. Compatible power supplies can also provide standby rails, remote on/off, status signals and digital interfaces for monitoring and control. In many rack-level systems, hot-swappable, backplane-connected power shelves are standard. RECOM solutions are therefore primarily positioned in selected downstream, board-level and auxiliary power-conversion stages rather than as a direct replacement for the rack power shelf itself.

The rapid increase in AI rack power is accelerating the move toward higher-voltage DC distribution. Emerging 800VDC architectures are being developed and standardized to reduce distribution current, conductor requirements and the number of power-conversion stages between the facility and high-density compute equipment. Power conversion connected directly to an 800VDC rail requires converter architectures designed for the relevant continuous working voltage and system insulation requirements; a high isolation test voltage alone does not indicate suitability for operation from an 800VDC rail.

As photovoltaic generation and ESS batteries are inherently DC, high-voltage DC/DC conversion can interface these sources with lower equipment-level DC rails and support the transition from established 48VDC-class architectures toward higher-voltage data center power distribution. Related power-electronics systems such as energy-storage converters, solar inverters and high-voltage converters may also require isolated auxiliary power for control, monitoring and gate-drive circuits.

As AI power architectures evolve, multiple DC/DC conversion stages may bridge high-voltage distribution, 48VDC-class intermediate rails and the low-voltage rails required by board-level electronics. After rack- or system-level distribution, DC/DC converters step the bus voltage down to intermediate and local supply rails. A common example is conversion from a 48VDC-class bus to a lower intermediate voltage before additional regulation close to the load. High efficiency, power density, transient behavior and thermal performance are critical at this stage because conversion losses directly increase the heat that must be removed from the system.

Depending on the architecture, isolated converters can separate voltage domains, while compact SMD switching regulators and non-isolated power modules can generate local rails for controllers, FPGAs, networking, storage and other digital electronics. Discrete power solutions combining power ICs with matched transformers can provide an alternative approach for compact isolated auxiliary and board-level DC/DC conversion.

Data center and AI infrastructure equipment also needs auxiliary and standby power for system management, monitoring, communication interfaces, cooling controls and other functions that may remain active independently of the main compute load. Power supplies with digital interfaces such as PMBus or CAN support remote monitoring, configuration and fault reporting when these functions are available on the selected product. N+1 redundant power supplies, OR-ing modules and e-fuses ensure power availability during fault or outage conditions.