Digital power, which utilizes a digital signal processing engine to collect large amounts of electricity from energy packets containing only minute amounts of energy, is attracting renewed attention and is expected to lead the acceleration of digital innovations requiring large amounts of electricity, such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things. Furthermore, VICOR's high-efficiency converters, which require no additional cooling, are reportedly contributing to this technology.

VoltServer, a power supply manufacturer based in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, recently announced that it is changing the future of energy transmission and reception using its proprietary Digital Electricity™ (patent pending) technology.

BoltServer's digital power technology safely transmits up to 2kW of power over long distances (up to 2km) using low-cost commercial data cables.

Currently, Boltserver's products are installed in hundreds of key locations, including stadiums, airports, convention centers, office buildings, hotels, condominiums, hospitals, and indoor gardens, powering 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi wireless communications, as well as LED lighting and IoT devices.

■ Digital power, one pulse at a time

Digital power is a system for supplying power to wires, sending power from a central point to remote equipment via structured copper cables. Digital power safely transmits high-voltage power using lightweight data cables, delivering low currents to power loads. Digital power, inherently digital in nature, is a new addition to the AD/DC method first utilized over 150 years ago, and can be considered the third form of power transmission and reception.

First, the Volt Server draws conventional power and divides it into a collection of small pulses called "energy packets." Each packet is transmitted from a transmitter with a built-in local processor to a receiver. Each energy packet utilizes a digital signal processing engine to determine whether the power is being delivered accurately and safely. If a problem is identified, the next energy packet is not transmitted. Because each packet contains only a tiny amount of energy, it is harmless to people, animals, equipment, and buildings. The receiver then reconverts the digital power into analog AC or DC to power each load.



"If water were to flow rapidly through a pipe and burst, the intense pressure could injure someone," said Stephen Eaves, co-founder and CEO of BoltServer. "Instead of taking that risk, by splitting the water into millions of droplets and then recombining them, we could obtain the same amount of water as before, but using the safer droplets." Digital power is a similar concept, distributing small amounts of energy to energy packets. While maintaining the same total power output, the safety of individual packets can be ensured,” he explains.

■ Plug-and-play power supply

Thanks to its inherently safe energy transfer method, the VoltServer Digital Electricity™ platform can transmit power up to 2,000 meters using commercially available structured copper communication cables or Class 2 low-voltage wiring.

BoltServer leverages this technology to transmit digital data and power together over a single, mixed-cable system, similar to Power over Ethernet (PoE). This makes installation much easier and less expensive than conventional 110/220 voltage systems.

This simplicity allows architects, designers, and building managers to quickly and easily configure and reconfigure wireless networks, office floor plans, and agricultural grow rooms.

Because the platform is inherently digital, accessing energy usage information from a central dashboard has never been easier. This allows building operators and management teams to monitor the building's electrical distribution system in detail, manage critical loads more easily, and eliminate the need for traditional circuit breaker panels.

■ Vicor high-efficiency converter, no need for additional cooling

Byco has been working closely with Bolt Server since Bolt Server began product development. A robust passively cooled BCM® DC-DC fixed ratio bus converter from Vicor is integrated into the receiver and converts the high voltage transmitted power into low voltage power to be supplied to the load.

Even without a cooling fan installed inside the small case, stable cooling is possible by utilizing 97% power efficiency.

These converters allow receivers to be installed in confined spaces where cooling fans are difficult to use.

Therefore, the Bolt Server platform operates with high efficiency using a much smaller heatsink, and also significantly reduces the space taken up by the receiver.

"Using Vicor converters reduces heat loss by 43% compared to conventional converters, resulting in a proportionally smaller heatsink," said Dan Lowe, co-founder and President of VoltServer. "Our customers include the three largest wireless carriers in the U.S., so our reliability requirements are very demanding. Vicor products are ideally suited for these situations."



The Bolt Server efficiently converts power packets by embedding Vicor's compact BCM6123 fixed-ratio bus converter (0.99 x 2.402 x 0.286 in) within the endpoint receiver. Vicor BCM products utilize a proprietary, low-noise, high-efficiency Sine Amplitude Converter (SAC™) topology, minimizing electromagnetic filtering requirements. This not only further reduces power system footprint but also provides a simple, EMI-compliant design.





"Because electromagnetic filtering is minimal, digital power receivers can be made very small and are also much easier to install," said President Rowe. "They are thermally efficient compared to other converters. More heat would require a much larger receiver case and significantly more cooling. Ultimately, this would mean higher costs and potentially difficult installation in space-constrained locations."

The patented VoltServer Digital Electricity™ platform distributes power in a secure, digital form. It's easy to install, affordable, and resilient, and has proven its reliability in large-scale deployments with major wireless carriers. VoltServer empowers organizations to pursue true digital transformation, regardless of location complexity or unique requirements.