Semiconductor major, Texas Instruments (TI), has launched a new current shunt monitor that provides an excellent accuracy The INA226 device is designed as a complete single-chip solution with a digital I2C interface that has the ability to provide programmable measurements of power, voltage and current.
It allows usage of smaller shunt resistors due to 0.1% maximum gain error and 10-ìV maximum offset voltage. This leads to increased accuracy and reduced I*R loss.
INA226 Current Shunt Monitor
The INA226 current shunt monitor is a 16-bit device that simplifies board layout and design constraints. It avoids the need of an ADC or an external mux. The device has a 2-ìA maximum shutdown current and 420-ìA maximum quiescent current. The sample averaging and the conversion times are independently programmable and allow customization of the device to individual system’s speed requirements, and also reduce the requirements for memory and software.
The device ensures that minimal or no change occurs in the offset voltage during simplifying error analysis and operations through its common mode voltage of 36-V and common mode rejection ratio of 140-dB.
TI’s INA226 current shunt monitor is beneficial where ever accurate measurements of power are critical. Designers of computers, servers, power management devices, telecom equipment can benefit from this monitor.
The company claims the INA226 current shunt monitor to be highly accurate. It is offering IBIS and evaluation models for designers to assess the product.