()blivion
Active Member
If you used 0.1 ohm resistors times 8 on 50A max that is 6.25A through each resistor, max voltage of 625mV, that is enough voltage in a current control loop to be extremely stable. Max dissipation is 3.9W each resistor, using eight 10W resistors and a small fan that would be reliable.
Agreed on the resistors, but then we are back to the concern that you and I brought up about realistic power dissipation for the TO-220 package, even with the amazing cooling we have on it. I don't think we should do less than ten channels at the current power density.
If we do want less than ten channels, we will probably want to go up to a larger FET package. Something like TO-3P, TO-247 or TO-264 maybe. The only problem then is that each unit will be more expensive. It may cost twice as much in FETs for the same amount of power handling. But we would end up with less channels and could rest a little easier knowing that the package can better take the power we are throwing into it.
Unfortunately, this also exacerbates the problem of dissipating more power in the sense resistors. But this all comes down to a balancing reasonable feedback voltage with lowering self heating. Which I think we can solve with better Op-Amps and the lower value tabbed resistors, short wires, regulated Op-Amp supply, good decoupling.
But I don't really know for sure, just throwing out ideas and seeing if something sticks.