Article

VISHAY Load Dump TVS Series for 24 V Powertrains
By Soo Man (Sweetman) Kim
As more trucks and buses are built with complex electrical systems, load dump protection is an
important safety feature for vehicles with 24 V powertrains. This article describes the changes to
the load dump test condition and defines the maximum surge suppressing capability for Vishay
load dump TVS series in these conditions.
The New ISO Standard ISO-16750-2 (2010) vs. the Old ISO Standard ISO-7637-2 (2004)
The most significant difference between the new and old load dump tests is that the new
standard (ISO-16750-2, 2010) requires 10 pulses in 10 minutes with a one-minute interval per
pulse, as shown in Table 1. The old standard (ISO-7637-2, 2004) required only a single pulse.
Table 1: Pulse requirements for ISO-16750-2
Type of system
Parameter
UA = 12 V
UA = 24 V
US (V)
79 to 101
151 to 202
Ri (Ohm)
0.5 to 4
1 to 8
td (ms)
40 to 400
100 to 350
tr (ms)
10 / +0 / -5
10 / +0 / -5
Minimum
test requirements
10 pulses
at intervals of 1 min.
The test condition of the 10 pulses in 10 minutes shows the reliability of the load dump
protection device, which assists the circuit designer in selecting the best device based on surge
capability in high-temperature conditions.
Load Dump Protection for 24 V Systems Using an AEC-Q101-Qualified TVS Series Device
Figure 1 illustrates the load dump protection device clamping in the specified voltage range,
which is different from the standard waveform. The active voltage range of the clamping device
in the load dump pulse is the reason for this difference, as shown in Figure 1. The device in
Figure 2 is clamping at 202 V US, 3.5 Ω Ri, and a 350 ms pulse width.
VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Corporate Headquarters: 63 Lincoln Highway, Malvern, PA 19355-2120, U.S.A. Phone: 610- 644-1300 Fax: 610-296-0657 www.vishay.com
ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF DISCRETE SEMIC ONDUCTORS AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS
Figure 1: Input waveform of an ISO-16750-2 pulse: 5 A, 201 V Us, 350 ms pulse width condition
Figure 2: Clamped waveform of the SM8S36A at an ISO-16750-2 pulse: 5 A, 202 V US, 3.5 Ω
Ri, 350 ms pulse input condition
VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Corporate Headquarters: 63 Lincoln Highway, Malvern, PA 19355-2120, U.S.A. Phone: 610- 644-1300 Fax: 610-296-0657 www.vishay.com
ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF DISCRETE SEMIC ONDUCTORS AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS
Protecting Electronic Devices in Load Dump Status by Using a TVS Device
The function of a load dump protection device is to keep the clamping voltage under the
maximum input voltage of the power regulator, or other electronic components in the circuit,
without halting or powering down the system. The protection device will not operate until the
line voltage reaches 36 V for 1 to 10 minutes or longer, as specified by the vehicle’s
manufacturer or as required in withstand test conditions. This means the device does not
perform at 36 V in any kind of status in either high- or low-temperature environments.
The clamping voltage of the load dump TVS device rises as the junction temperature changes
during continuous clamping operation. Figure 3 shows that the operating time of the load dump
TVS device is increased when Ri is increased, with an operating time of 300 ms, which is longer
than the 3.5 Ω Ri condition shown in Figure 2.
Figure 3) SM8S36A at Us = 202 V, Ri = 4.0 Ω, 350 ms pulse width
VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Corporate Headquarters: 63 Lincoln Highway, Malvern, PA 19355-2120, U.S.A. Phone: 610- 644-1300 Fax: 610-296-0657 www.vishay.com
ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF DISCRETE SEMIC ONDUCTORS AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS
Capability of Vishay’s Load Dump TVS Series Using the
New Load Dump Test Condition Standard
The following graphs show how using the new test condition of 10 continuous pulses affected
the surge suppressing capability of the load dump TVS device.
Graphs 1 -4: Capabilities of Vishay’s SM5S series in the new load dump test conditions. Suffix
“M” lines are multiple pulses using the new test condition standards (ISO16750-2); suffix “S”
lines are a single pulse as defined by the old test condition standards (ISO7637-2). Please note
that these values are based on normal room temperature environment on a pad size as
recommended in the datasheet. Actual capability varies depending on PCB type, pad size and
temperature conditions. Clamping capability relating to junction temperature and derating ratio
similar to ”Load Dump Power Characteristics” in the datasheet.
The following graphs illustrate a solution for low Ri by using two or three devices in a series.
VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Corporate Headquarters: 63 Lincoln Highway, Malvern, PA 19355-2120, U.S.A. Phone: 610- 644-1300 Fax: 610-296-0657 www.vishay.com
ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF DISCRETE SEMIC ONDUCTORS AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS
Figure 4) Derating ratio of the load dump power characteristics at case temperature for the
SM5S Series
Appendix
Easy reference for load dump TVS vs. peak current (A)
Total Pulse
width
Single pulse
10 pulses in 10 minutes
100ms
225ms
350ms
100ms
225ms
350ms
SM5S36A
37
30
24
28
24
21
SM6S36A
39
33
27
31
27
23
SM8S36A
56
51
37
46
38
29
SM8S43A
54
49
35
45
37
28
SM8S18A X 2
125
105
83
100
88
67
Sm8S12A X 3
190
165
145
160
130
115
For a more detailed explanation of load dump protection, please refer to the application note “Transient
Voltage Suppressors (TVS) for Automotive Electronic Protection”.
http://www.vishay.com/doc?88490.
VISHAY INTERTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Corporate Headquarters: 63 Lincoln Highway, Malvern, PA 19355-2120, U.S.A. Phone: 610- 644-1300 Fax: 610-296-0657 www.vishay.com
ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF DISCRETE SEMIC ONDUCTORS AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS