ISB Series App Note: A Refresher on Smart Busbar Sensing

Need a better way to sense current on busbars? Let’s revisit the ISB Series Current Sense Transducer. This compact sensor is a smart alternative to bulky, traditional sensors. It delivers high performance with fast response and high bandwidth.

A custom ASIC-based Hall effect device powers the ISB series. It operates without a traditional core and winding. This core-less design is the key to provide a lower-cost solution. It delivers fast response, high bandwidth, high isolation, and performance sitting between open-loop and closed-loop designs.

It’s designed for currents from 75 A up to over 670 A and is easy to install in applications with tight dimensional constraints.

Key Design Features You Can Leverage

Our ISB Series App Note (ISB-AN1-R1) details the ISB’s smart features. These features solve common engineering challenges.

  • Concentrates Magnetic Flux: The shield provides a path of lower magnetic resistance. This concentrates the magnetic flux density. This helps the sensor measure low current levels.
  • Protects from EMI: The shield also helps protect the sensor from stray EMI fields from adjacent high-current paths.

Total Design Flexibility

The ISB series is built for easy integration:

  • Connection Options: Choose between a compact header connector (8.5 mm creepage) or a lead-wire version (158.5 mm creepage) for much higher isolation.
  • Programmable Ranges: We can factory program custom current ranges. This includes unsymmetrical ranges (e.g., -100 A to +300 A).
  • Simplified Integration: A reference output is available, providing a stable voltage at 50% of VDD to simplify driving an op-amp circuit.

 

For a full technical deep dive on these features, busbar sizing, and more, be sure to check out our Application Note (ISB-AN1-R1).