Various industrial systems, including discrete and process manufacturing equipment, renewable energy systems, telecommunications, and IT infrastructure, all require stable and reliable power supply. The power supply unit (PSU) provides this function by receiving voltage input (AC or DC) and converting it into the form and voltage output required for system operation.
Requirements for PSU and DIN rail converters
Today's AC/DC converters must be safe, economical, energy-efficient, reliable, and much smaller in size than previous products. In addition to handling high inductance or high capacitance loads, industrial grade AC/DC power converters must also withstand severe AC input surges generated during heavy machinery switching. They also need to adapt to a wide range of operating temperatures and input voltages.
The German Institute for Standardization (DIN) rail PSU can supply power to relays, actuators, valves, and monitoring/control systems, which meets these conditions.
The power converter is installed on a DIN rail, which is a standardized metal channel that can be cut into convenient lengths and fixed to the rack or wall with bolts (Figure 1).
Typical DIN rail installation picture
Figure 1: Typical DIN rail installation (Image source: RECOM)
Although DIN rail PSU has many advantages, its working conditions still require an additional set of special features. They require a longer working life as they typically operate in continuous mode, even when the production line is shut down. They also require high efficiency both under load and idle to save energy and minimize internal heat emissions. In addition, they also need to provide protection against undervoltage and overvoltage fluctuations, power surges, short circuits, overloads, and overheating.
The RACPRO1 series chassis mounted LED AC/DC power supply is an industrial DIN rail PSU launched by RECOM Power, which can meet the above functions and more requirements. Its working temperature range is -40 ° C to+70 ° C, and it can still output full power at a maximum of+60 ° C, and can provide 150% power boost for 5 seconds. Due to their low no-load power consumption, their energy consumption during standby is still very small, ranging from 1 to 3 watts depending on the power output.
Other advantages of DIN rail system
The standardized installation of DIN rails enables quick and easy assembly, as the PSU only needs to be clamped onto the rail without the need for any tools. DIN rails save space, allowing design engineers to densely install a large number of standard sized devices in narrow areas.
In addition, DIN rails have been continuously developed over the years to adapt to the constantly changing sizes of electrical components. The width and size of the slot are suitable for various PSUs today, which means that design engineers can easily choose the PSUs needed to configure complex systems and install them in standardized spaces. In addition, DIN rails can also install different types of components together, making it efficient to configure power for multiple machines, usually on the same metal rail.
Choose the appropriate DIN rail PSU
Complex industrial automation systems may require a series of PSUs to meet their power requirements. The specific choice depends on various factors, including electrical specifications such as input and output voltage ranges and the required maximum current.
RECOM Power's RACPRO1 series (Figure 2) is a set of DIN rail PSU that can convert AC and DC input voltages to each other. For example, the RACPRO1-T240, - T480, and - T960 series have a universal AC and DC input voltage range of 3 x 320 VAC to 3 x 575 VAC and 430 VDC to 850 VDC. Their power levels are 240 W, 480 W, and 960 W, respectively. The percentage of consumed current relative to the rated output current can be quickly determined through the load indicators on T480 and T960. Both devices can choose between constant current (CC) mode and load sharing mode, with the former suitable for tasks such as battery charging and the latter suitable for parallel operation.