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CPMLMAX™ and the Transition to 800 VDC: Why Standardized Inductors Matter Now
- CorePower Magnetics
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
The power architecture of AI Data Centers is changing rapidly. NVIDIA’s recent 800 VDC white paper marks a definitive shift toward higher-voltage, high-efficiency distribution as the foundation of next-generation compute infrastructure. The implications ripple far beyond rack power or converter design. They reach the component level—specifically, the inductors that enable medium-frequency rectification, DC distribution, and high-current conditioning within emerging 800 VDC power paths.
This transition introduces a persistent architectural challenge: how to step 480 VAC up to 800 VDC efficiently—and then manage high-current DC power with predictable thermal behavior, compact form factors, and designs that scale. The inductor sits at the center of both challenges.
Why 800 VDC Redefines Magnetic Requirements
Medium-frequency LV rectifiers behave differently at 800 VDC than at traditional AC voltages:
Switching losses become more sensitive to magnetic material properties
Thermal margins shrink as power density rises
Ripple currents and inductance values must be tightly controlled across rectifier and DC interface stages
Space constraints increase in both high-power rectifier cabinets and downstream DC distribution equipment
Historically, inductors were custom designed for every new system. That model no longer fits the pace or scale of AI-class infrastructure. What data center OEMs need now is a repeatable, validated, production-ready building block—not a bespoke engineering cycle.
Enter CPMLMAX™
CPMLMAX™ is a standardized, 1000-V-class inductor family engineered for medium-frequency power conversion and high-current DC power handling. It was created to support modern LV rectifier and inverter stages, especially those moving toward 800 VDC.
Medium-frequency performance for higher-efficiency conversion
Compact, power-dense design to ease thermal and mechanical constraints
Consistent performance, unit to unit
Electrical characteristics suited for both rectification stages and DC bus filtering and current smoothing
Production-ready, U.S.-based manufacturing for supply-chain resilience and predictable lead times
Because CPMLMAX™ is standardized, OEMs gain a known, validated component early in the design cycle—reducing risk and accelerating development.
Where CPMLMAX Fits in the NVIDIA Architecture
In NVIDIA’s three-stage roadmap—retrofit, hybrid AC/DC, and full DC— CPMLMAX™ aligns primarily with the LV rectifier stage, while also supporting adjacent DC power functions within 800 VDC systems:
480 VAC → 800 VDC medium-frequency rectification
High-current inductive elements within rectifier power stages
Differential-mode filtering and current smoothing at 800 VDC bus interfaces
DC power conditioning functions that benefit from standardized, production-ready inductors
CPMLMAX™ helps ensure rectifier designers can meet efficiency targets while maintaining reliable thermal performance in compact footprints. Beyond LV rectification, CPMLMAX-class inductors can support differential-mode filtering, current smoothing, and DC interface conditioning at 800 VDC bus interfaces, depending on system topology.
Why Standardization Matters Now
AI facilities are no longer built over years—they’re built over quarters. Standardized inductors allow engineers to:
Begin subsystem testing early
Establish realistic design envelopes
Reduce late-stage redesign cycles
Improve power-stage reliability
Support scale production without custom variations
CPMLMAX™ is not just an inductor line. It is an enabling component across multiple stages of today’s 800 VDC architectures—supporting rectification, DC power conditioning, and the scalable deployment of high-efficiency data center power systems.
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