Written by Mark Lloyd, Senior Product Manager- Power Supplies and Surge Protection
For critical applications within the process industry (and increasingly from other sectors) it has long been common practice to use redundant power supply systems. Previously this has required 2 or more separate power supplies decoupled from each other using either diodes or for more sophisticated systems, redundancy modules.
Wouldn’t it be so much simpler to combine the power supply with the decoupling module into one article? That is exactly what we have done with the release of the new Plus version of the well-established QUINT power supply.
Initially available as a 20A device ideal for process application, the new QUINT 20A Plus power supply is ATEX/IECEx approved to both IEC 61508, and IEC 61511 standards, allowing the power supply to be mounted within potentially explosive areas (Zone 2).
With an integrated decoupling MOSFET and a double overvoltage protection (OVP) in the form of 2 separate protective circuits, the plus version switches the output off quickly in order to protect the consumer against over-votages.Operational safety is further enhanced by a protective conformal coating.
A robust input is also a requirement for a power supply in a critical application and the powers supply features a mains failure buffer time of at more than 20 ms and an integrated gas discharge tube for high electrical noise immunity up to 6kV. To ensure that the output is maintained the QUINT Power plus has both a static boost (up to 125% of the nominal current for a sustained period), as well as dynamic boost, (Up to 150% of the nominal current for 5s) ensuring heavy loads can be started easily.
Last but not least, often one of the requirements of the process industry is that the power supply will operate reliably in very extreme conditions. I already mentioned the coated board meaning the device is protected against dust, gas and humidity but also thanks to the wide operating temperature range from -40°C to +75°C, the new power supply can also be used in the most extreme environmental conditions.
Summary
- The most powerful output side: reliable start-up of heavy load and miniature circuit breaker tripping even on long lines.
- The most robust input side: high noise immunity, thanks to integrated gas-filled surge arrester (up to 6 kV) and ≥ 20 ms mains failure buffer time
- Most comprehensive signalling: digital and analogue signals preventive function monitoring reports critical operating states before errors occur
- Can be ordered pre-configured: from a batch quantity of just 1
So, the new QUINT Plus power supply from Phoenix Contact is the natural choice for critical applications and with SIL3 enables the user to achieve high operational safety, even for the most demanding applications. But don’t just take my word for it…take a look at this video posted by my colleague Sunit:
You can also get more information about this Power Supply and our other redundant systems by clicking here.
Contact Mark on 07717 335477 or email mlloyd@phoenixcontact.com
