Power Supplies Get More Sophisticated

Power supplies have moved beyond a set-it-and-forget-it functionality, incorporating more functionality through microprocessors and software to bring them to the same awareness level as many other control devices.

People are beginning to realize that power is the most critical element in their applications, says Roolf Wessels, business unit manager for monitoring and protection at Pepperl+Fuchs. "You can lose a few I/O points and networking nodes and still run an application, but losing power means losing your whole application, so it's worthwhile investing in high-reliability, high-efficiency power."

Consequently, just as with their controllers and field devices, users want more diagnostics for predictive maintenance and asset management in their power supplies as well, Wessels says.

To help reduce the time it takes to integrate power supplies with their control-based counterparts, Acopian is building IP addresses, Ethernet and USB interfaces, and some control functions directly into some of its power supplies, says Mark Wilkins, chief engineer. "In general, we now have more programming and communications options for applying power more efficiently, and these are allowing power supplies to interface with other equipment, talk to each other and synchronize efforts," he says.

In another trend, many power supplies and related systems are following the lead of Europe's suppliers, moving from 230 or 120 Vac to 24 Vdc, according to Sharonda Warner, product marketing manager for U.S. power supplies and power security at Siemens. "More customers have applications that depend on critical 24 Vdc power, so we provide solutions to maintain it," she says.

	Handle Harsh    XF Series of 400~1,000 W, field-configurable ac/dc power supplies for harsh environments have efficiencies greater than 90% and an operating range of -55 to 70 ºC, are certified to Mil-Std 810G Integrity Test for Vibration, and UL60950- and EN60950-approved and characterized for EMI according to Mil-461F. Standard features include 47–440 Hz input frequency, single- and dual-output modules with 1.5–58 V outputs and wide trim ranges, and 5 V/250 mA bias standby voltage. Excelsys (972) 771-4544
	Benched or Racked    1U rack and benchtop programmable ac/dc switching power supplies are available at 720 W power levels with single output voltages 3.3–135 V and current to 70 A. Universal input is 95-265 Vac, 50/60 Hz with active power factor correction of 0.99 single phase. 1U models can be configured with a fixed auxiliary output up to 180 W. Acopian (610) 258-6149
	Guided Power    Traco Power short-form catalog provides a product selection guide for each product line offered. Dc-dc converters are rated 1–240 W in single, dual or triple output voltages. AC-DC products range 2–1,000 W. Units have international safety approvals, including IEC/EN 60601-1. Power Sources Unlimited (800) 966-7784
	Extra Low    24 Vdc power supplies provide safety extra-low voltage (SELV), according to EN 60950, offer 90–260 Vac input range, and output voltage can be adjusted between 22.5 and 28.5 Vdc, with output current strengths of 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 A. They are Class I, Div. 2 certified and rated IP20. They can be run in parallel for applications requiring redundancy, and include overload protection to 150%. Turck (800) 544-7769
	Power Is Universal    Rhino PSE switch-mode power supplies have universal inputs of 85–264 Vac in single- or dual-output models. Output voltages include 5, 12, 15 and 24 Vdc; and ±12 and ±15 Vdc. Single-output models provide a maximum output range 15–60 W; dual-output models provide 15 and 30 W. Screw terminal blocks provide easy connection, and the series is short-circuit and overload protected. AutomationDirect (800) 633-0405
	More than a Phase    PS5R-TJ24 power supply operates on both two- or three-phase voltage, and has 480 W output with a 91% efficiency level and output ratings of 20 A at 24 Vdc, and is parallel-capable for increased power or redundancy. It conforms to all global standards, is IP20 rated, UL 508 listed and UL 60950-1 recognized. IDEC (800) 262-4332
	Bound for the EU?    S8JX single-phase switching power supplies have harmonic current suppression, power factor correction (PFC) and compliance with EMI EN55011 Class B for the EU. Output voltages are 5, 12, 24 and 48 Vdc with power ratings of 50, 100, 150, 300 and 600 W. Remote sensing compensates for voltage drops on the load lines. Alarm output informs operators about power supply errors such as fan failure or insufficient voltage. Omron Industrial Automation (866) 88-omron
	Channel the Power    Sitop PSE200U 24 Vdc selectivity modules have single-channel signaling to detect and deactivate overloads or short circuits in individual circuits. The four-channel devices offer three-color LED indicators per channel, and status output of the modules provides channel-specific status signaling. The units are available in 0.5–3 A and 3–10 A current ranges, and operate in ambient temperatures 0–60 ºC at up to 97% efficiency. Siemens Industry (770) 751-2000
	Make It Break    Modular Capacity unit for Pro-M dc power supply along with suitable circuit breakers ensures a fault is restricted to its single loop by forcing its circuit breaker to trip. The modules have an operating temperature range of –25 to 70 °C, and approvals from CE, TUV, GL, GOST and cULus. Weidmüller (800) 849-9343
	Power Extractor    PPM-PS397-POE-1 is a Power over Ethernet Powered Device (PoE-PD) dc/dc supply for a PC/104-Plus-compatible computer board stack. Configured as either an endpoint or midspan device, it conforms to the IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet standard. Power is extracted from the Ethernet cable that inputs an onboard, isolated dc/dc converter that provides +5 Vdc, +12 Vdc and -12 Vdc outputs. The converter has built-in overload and short-circuit output protection. WinSystems (817) 274-7553
	Pick an Output    ZWS10-30B open-frame power supplies with output power ratings of 10, 15 and 30 W consume less than 0.5 W under no-load conditions operating at 85–265 Vac input. These single-output units are available with 3.3, 5, 12, 15 or 24 Vdc outputs, and can operate at full load with convection cooling from -10 to 50 °C ambient temperature. TDK-Lambda Americas (800) 526-2324
	More Power to You    XCSG 2400 W power supply is equipped with a connector interface for programming ease. All versions are programmable with the four integrated buttons and LCD, or with a connector to USB interface. An internal microprocessor controls the various power functions. Software and an interface cable, provided separately, make the advanced features accessible for the programmer, but with the connector interface selected, it is virtually tamper-resistant. ASI (877) 650-5160
	Get a Boost    Epsitron Pro power supplies include single-phase units with 12 and 48 V outputs. In short-circuit conditions, TopBoost provides up to 60 A of additional boost for 25 ms, enabling the tripping of miniature circuit breakers. Power Boost offers up to 200% of rated current for up to 4 s to assist power-up of heavy loads. Wago (800) din-rail
	Highly Efficient    Emparro power supply has a 95% efficiency rating, Power Boost for up to 150% more power for up to 4 s, and output voltage is controlled with a constant current and is limited to 100% of the nominal current (or to 150% in Power Boost mode). An alarm contact on the circuit enables remote diagnostics of short-circuits, overloads and high temperatures. Murrelektronik (770) 497-9292
	All About Balance    Quint ORing active redundancy modules use auto current balancing (ACB) for precise load sharing. With a balanced current draw, lifetime expectancy of each power supply could double. The module's display shows the status of the load sharing. If it nears a critical state, it will generate an alarm. Phoenix Contact (800) 322-3225
	Dense Power    CINT1150 high-density, single-output, open-frame ac/dc power supply line is approved to EN/IEC/UL60950-1, 2nd edition, provides 150 W of output power under LFM airflow, with 91% efficiency at 240 Vac, and 100 W under convection. It surpasses Class B Conducted EMI and Class A with 6 dB margin for radiated EMI. It operates at universal input range of 90–264 Vac and operating range -10 to 70 °C. SL Power Electronics (800) 235-5929
	Need a Boost?    VAN-115/230AC-K19 AS-Interface power supplies are 90.5% efficient and support input voltages of 85–264 Vac. They deliver up to 2.8 A output, and Power Boost can deliver a temporary output power increase up to 3.2 A. An LED provides quick visual status indication. Pepperl+Fuchs (330) 486-0001
	Compact Power    Compact, DIN-rail-mountable power supplies range from 2.1 A/100–240 Vac single-phase input to 40 A/400–500 Vac three-phase input. They have a power backup buffer module that supplies standby voltage during brownouts or load peaks for a defined period of time; tolerate ambient temperatures -25 to 70 °C; and have short-circuit, overload and continuous open-circuit protection. Approvals include UL 508, CSA, IEC and EN. B&R Industrial Automation (770) 772-0400
	Small Footprint    Model #722996 10 A, 24 Vdc power supply offers one-, two- and three-phase input options in a footprint that’s 2.2 in. wide. It provides output power of 150% over nominal current for 5 s during a high-inductive or capacitive startup load, and is 92% efficient and UL 508 listed. Lutze (800) 447-2371
	Need a Trim?    DDC4370 (400 W) and DDC7480 (1,000, 2,750 and 3,200 W) dc/dc converters include output voltage versions of 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 V, and input voltage ranges 40–87 Vdc. Trimmer-adjustable models and models adjustable with 0–5 V external control signals are available. Powernet +358-10-2890-703
	Variable Power    SHP heavy-duty power supplies allow users to configure up to 24 output combinations of 2–60 Vdc with a maximum of 4,920 W, and intelligent modules let users choose between I2C or CANbus/RS-485 communications to monitor and control. Other features include single- and three-phase inputs, overload protection on all outputs, and power factor correction (0.99 typical). Emerson I2C GUI-based configuration software enables monitoring real-time performance of the power supply. SolaHD (877) 999-7652
	Power Rates    CPS20 power supply is rated 20 A at 24 Vdc. It offers efficiency to 94%, a wide ac input range, 20% current reserves, active power factor correction, dc-OK relay contact, and load sharing for paralleling. Puls N.A. (630) 587-9780
	Status Feedback        IP67 intelligent power supplies with Heartbeat technology provide feedback on real-time and long-term status of the supply. They are rated >93% efficient, have a 150% power boost for 4 s, and claim a minimum service life of 15 years. Balluff (800) 543-8390
	A Display of Power    EM11 Series 120/230 Vac single-phase energy meter displays and controls a main energy supply. It prevents line overload conditions by switching off selected non-priority loads through an alarm output. It can control and limit power before a shutdown of the entire electrical system occurs. It is also suitable for metering applications in most industrial environments. Carlo Gavazzi (847) 465-6100
	Power For All    24 Vdc power supplies designed for CompactRIO, Compact FieldPoint, NI Single-Board RIO, and NI Smart Cameras have operating temperature range -25 to 70 °C with full output power between -25 and 60 °C. Power reserves of 20% or 50% are available for dynamic loads. Connect via tool-less, spring-clamp terminals, and DIN-rail mounting and panel-/side-mount accessories are available. National Instruments (800) 258-7022
	Single or Redundant    HSF 3U 300, 600 and 1,200/1,500 W hot-swappable power supplies are for high-power-density applications capable of wide-range voltage programmability. Four single outputs or two redundant pairs fit in a 19 in. rack. They are designed to be combined in an N+1 fault-tolerant power system. Built-in active current sharing and OR-ing diodes are provided. Optional front panel meter displays voltage or current using a front panel mode switch and includes external current monitoring. Kepco (718) 461-7000
	Constant Current    GLC-50 constant-current ac/dc LED power supplies have universal/full-range 100–277 Vac input, 50 W output power, constant current outputs at 1.05, 1.40, 1.75, 2.1 or 2.8 A, and self-adjusting 12–48 Vdc output ranges. All models are enclosed to IP67 standards in extruded aluminum metal case design, and have efficiencies to 90% with active power-factor correction greater than 0.90. Green Watt Power (800) 542-3355
	Strong Parallelism FirstLine P parallelable, three-phase, 480 Vac, 65 kVA UPS is up to 98% efficient, has upstream filtering of harmonics, and reactive load emanating from the powered load. Up to eight units can be run in parallel. Staco Energy (866) 266-1191
	Ups Protection    Bulletin 1609-U uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) in 750, 1,000 and 1,500 VA models protect PCs, PLCs, servers and data networks with improved surge protection. Rockwell Automation (440) 646-3434