Reducing the Size of Today's Eletcronic Systems

The greatest challenge in today's electronic systems is to reduce overall size to meet the demand for smaller footprints and increased functionality. One of the largest stumbling blocks to reducing size is the conversion of AC power from the wall outlet into a useable DC Voltage for the electronic system which is the job of a power supply.

The power supply must do many things for the electronic system. It must create an isolation barrier from unsafe voltage conditions (surges & spokes) that exist on AC circuits around the world. The power supply must minimize emissions or noise from the outside world from getting into the system or passing back out to the AC lines (think of your tv going blurry when you turn on the vacuum cleaner or microwave oven). Then the supply must rectify AC (Alternating Current) into DC (Direct Current) and regulate it into a tightly regulated DC voltage required of electronic components.

To understand this process, we must first understand "What is AC / Alternating Current?" Alternating current is power created from turbines circling a magnetic core. The cycle around the core creates a voltage that oscillates between a positive and negative polarity in a sine wave fashion. In the US, the voltage coming out of the wall will be anywhere between -115V and +115V, oscillating 60 times per second, or 60Hz. Electronic components need a fixed voltage to operate (except heating elements and light bulbs).

The first stage of a Switching Power Supply will "rectify" the Alternating Current into DC Current by switching the polarity of the input so the voltage will always remain positive. By using energy storage devices such as inductors and capacitors, the supply can obtain an equalized input voltage. The second stage takes the rectified voltage and regulates it into low or safe voltages required of the components found in today's electronic systems, typically a fixed voltage or set of voltages ranging between 3.3~48 VDC.

Typical power supplies experience great losses of power to convert the AC input into the useable DC Output for the system. These losses can only be dissipated in the form of heat. Lawrence Berkeley National Labs estimates that the average power supply operates with losses up to 70% of it's input power. For this reason, at power levels in excess of 100 watts are integrated with heatsinks and typically require airflow that can only be provide by building fans into the system, taking up additional room and adding costs.

PowerGate has recently introduced its RPS-160 / RPD-160 / RPT-160 Series of Mean Well Power Supplies that provide many advantages to engineers designing next generation systems. The supply features a reduced package size of only 3 x 5 x 1.26", a reduction of more than 40% over previous generation power supplies. The supply operates at very high efficiency up to 86% for reduced heat losses, allowing engineers to save the cost and additional footprints associated with cooling fans. The supply features Active power Factor Correction to reduce noise transmitted back on to the AC line as well as into the system, allowing engineers to save the cost and additional footprints associated with EM/RFI Filtration components.

This new technology helps engineers by providing them with a smaller power supply that eliminates the need of additional components typically required to support the power supply. This new technology reduces the overall system footprint while meeting the latest "Energy Star" requirements being implemented around the globe.

Mean Well Power Supplies
Mean Well Power Supplies